No. 1 Clemson Welcomes NC State to Historic Riggs Field Saturday

Clemson Notes || Match Central

CLEMSON, S.C. — The top-ranked Clemson men’s soccer team (10-2-1) is set to face NC State (2-7-2) at Historic Riggs Field on Saturday, March 20, at 7 p.m. for the Tigers’ third game of the spring slate. Saturday’s match will be the fifth time in series history that the two sides meet while Clemson is ranked No. 1. Admission to the match is free for all 1,000 permitted fans, while the match will also be broadcast live on ACCNX.

NC State is Clemson’s 11th oldest opponent, as the two sides first met on Nov. 11, 1967, in Raleigh, N.C. The Tigers took the first contest in the series, 4-3, thanks to a goal by Mark Rubich in Clemson’s first-ever overtime match. Since the two sides first met, Clemson has amassed a 40-15-7 record against the Wolfpack, while scoring 166 goals to NC State’s 75. 

The Tigers and Wolfpack last met on Oct. 23, 2020, with Grayson Barber’s goal in the 63rd minute serving as the deciding factor in the match. George Marks earned his first solo shutout of the season via the 1-0 result, while the match also saw head coach Mike Noonan earn his 70th victory at Clemson when ranked higher than his opponent.

Clemson continues to lead the nation in total goals this season, as nine Tigers have combined for 25 goals. Six of the nine goal scorers have netted two or more goals this season. Individually, Marks leads the nation in goalkeeper minutes played (1,146) and became No. 10 all-time at Clemson for career goalkeeper minutes. Marks has amassed 3,509 minutes across his 39 appearances for the program.

Last time out, No. 1 Clemson defeated then-No. 21 Virginia Tech, 1-0, in Blacksburg, Va., on Thompson Field. The lone goal in the match came off the right foot of Ousmane Sylla, as the freshman fired home his first career goal after James Brighton put a brilliant shot on frame with his head from 12 yards out. 

Earlier in the week, Clemson was ranked the No. 1 team in the country for the fourth time this season, along with earning a spot within United Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 rankings for the 12th time this year. The association named Sylla it’s Player of the Week following his golden goal against the Hokies. 

For all of the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson men’s soccer, be sure to reference clemsontigers.com and follow @ClemsonMSoccer on Twitter.

Historic Riggs Field Social Distancing & Operations

The 2021 spring season will see Historic Riggs Field operate under the same guidelines enforced during the fall. We ask that all fans please adhere to the following safety protocols put in place to ensure the well-being of all fans and participants.

• Please refrain from coming to any Clemson sporting event if you feel sick or are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus.
• A capacity of 1,000 spectators will be enforced at Historic Riggs Field. Patrons must wear a face covering at all times unless eating or drinking. 
• There will be no formal ticketing for the 2021 season. All seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. All points of entry to Historic Riggs Field will be available.
• Seats will be available in pods of four with a six-foot radius around each pod. Please refrain from sitting in groups larger than four.
• There will be no access to the field permitted prior to, during, or after any match. 
• Drinks and pre-packaged snacks will be available at the outdoor concession stand.
• Restrooms will be available for all fans. Hand sanitizers will also be strategically placed around the facility.