Reason, Bach Propel Tigers to 1-0 Win at Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Graduate goalkeeper Nona Reason shifted the momentum in the Tigers’ favor with a penalty kick save, and freshman Ella Bach scored the game-winning goal as Clemson topped Arkansas, 1-0, on Thursday night at Razorback Field. The Tigers strung together their fourth clean sheet in five games to improve to 2-1-2, while the Razorbacks fell to 0-3-1.
"It’s a very good win on the road against a team with one of the best home records in college soccer," Said Head Coach Eddie Radwanski. "We were disciplined in how we played. Nona makes a great stop on the pk and we carried that momentum with us. Great goal from two freshmen, Reagan with a mazy dribble to create the goal scoring opportunity and Ella Bach finished it! Proud of the team and how they responded!"
Reason finished the match with three saves to bring her season total to 13 through five matches. Offensively, Bach became the first Tiger of the 2026 campaign with multiple goals on the year after recording her second in the 69’. Clemson tallied nine shots as a team, three of which were on goal.
Defense was the name of the game for the Tigers in the first half as they took just two shots compared to Arkansas’ five. The Razorbacks had an early goal opportunity at 1:59 by Vailana Tu’ua, but Reason made the stop. With just a couple minutes left in the half, Reason recorded a pair of back-to-back saves when Arkansas found itself with multiple scoring opportunities. Reason dove out in front of the net to block a shot from Madden McDonald. The deflection made its way to Molly Teed, who shot the ball to the bottom center of the net where Reason’s quick reflexes caught it to keep the match scoreless at the halfway point.
The Tigers picked up the offense in the second half, led by junior midfielder Anna Castenfelt, who quickly fired off three shots, and senior Dani Davis, whose shot towards the bottom right of the net was saved. On the defensive end in the 62’, the Tigers were called for a hand ball inside the penalty box. In a moment that leaned towards giving the Razorbacks the edge, Reason made the diving stop to her left to ward off the threat, keep the match 0-0, and swing the tides in Clemson’s favor.
Clemson broke open the scoreless match seven minutes later after taking control of the ball at midfield. After the Tigers worked the ball up the left side of the field, freshman Reagan Thompson juked a defender in the box along the endline to make a dish to Bach inside the six-yard box who found the back of the net. Arkansas tried to answer and got off two more shot attempts but neither were successful to allow Clemson to take the 1-0 victory.
Up Next
Clemson returns home for a matchup with Gardner-Webb on Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. The match will also be available to stream on ACCNX.