Elon Defeats Clemson 1-0

Oct. 12, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – Chris Thomas scored the game’s lone goal in leading Elon to a 1-0 victory over Clemson in a men’s intercollegiate soccer match at Clemson Tuesday night.

With the win, Elon improves to 5-3-4 overall, while Clemson falls to 3-6-2 this season.

Thomas scored at the 22:21 mark into the match. Denzel Ogunyase dribbled the ball down the middle and laid the ball out on the right side. Thomas received the pass and fired a 12-yard diagonal shot near the right post for his team-leading sixth goal of the season.

Clemson had serious scoring chances in the second half. In the 46th minute, Tommy Drake sent a corner kick in the box and Stephen McGill took a header from four yards out but Elon’s goalkeeper Reed Dillard was there to make the save.

In the 52nd minute, the Tigers’ K.C. Onyeador took a turnaround shot from 20 yards out that was again saved by Dillard near the left post.

During the 71st minute, Ben Lunka of Elon took a hard 18 yard-shot that was saved by Clemson’s goalkeeper Cody Mizell in the middle of the goal.

Clemson’s last serious chance came with 17:04 left to go in regulation. Riley Sumpter took a diving head shot from six yards out towards the middle of the goal, but Dillard made the save for the Phoenix.

Elon threatened again with 2:44 left to go in regulation. Gabe Latigue sent a pass to Thomas on the left side. Thomas took a shot from 18 yards out that went just wide of the left post.

“We are going to have to learn to play the entire game,” said Clemson Head Coach Mike Noonan. “Without consistency and leadership, there are hard lessons to be learned. These are also painful, and apparently we have not learned from our lessons in the past. We have opportunities and don’t take advantage of them. We did not execute in the final third. We did not concentrate the whole game. We told our players this would be a mental test for them. We didn’t pass the test.”

Clemson outshot Elon 12-8, and had more corner kicks (8-2). Goalkeeper Reed Dillard of Elon had seven saves, while Mizell of Clemson had four saves.

The Tigers will play at Maryland on Saturday night in Clemson’s next action.

Scoring Elon – Chris Thomas (Denzel Ogunyase) 22:21

Shots: Clemson 12, Elon 8 Corner Kicks: Clemson 8, Elon 2 Saves: Cody Mizell (CU) 4, Reed Dillard (E) 7 Fouls: Elon 13, Clemson 5 Attendance: 814