No. 6 Clemson Handles Gardner-Webb Tuesday

CLEMSON, S.C. – The seventh-ranked Clemson men’s soccer team was too much for Gardner-Webb on Tuesday night at Historic Riggs Field, winning 5-0, improving to 4-1-1 overall while Gardner-Webb falls to 2-5. Two first half goals from junior Diego Campos would help spark the Tigers. 

In just the first half, Clemson held the majority of the possession through the first 20 minutes while Gardner-Webb looked to sit back to limit the Tigers attack. The breakthrough came in the 23rd-minute when junior Diego Campos finished from eight yards out into the upper ninety for his third goal of the year assisted by freshman Malick Mbaye, his first assist of his career. Just five minutes later Campos put away his second of the match after his wrist shot was blocked by the Gardner-Webb goalkeeper falling to his feet to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Just two minutes later in the 29th-minute senior Thales Moreno found the back of the net for the first time this year, assisted by Saul Chinchilla and Campos. Clemson would take a 4-0 advantage into halftime. 

In the second half, Clemson continued to control the pace of the game holding onto possession. Many different Tigers would see action in the second half gaining valuable playing experience. In the 64th-minute Clemson would create two dangerous opportunities with shots from freshman Trey Langlois and Harrison Kurtz but the Gardner-Webb goalkeeper Jake Beyer would deny them of their first career goals. In the 86th-minute Langlois would open his scoring account as a Tiger with his first career goal assisted by Andrew Burnikel, giving the Tigers a 5-0 lead. 

In the match, Clemson took 23 shots and Gardner-Webb would take only two, one in each half. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Brady Allardice played the full 90 minutes without having to record a save. 

Clemson returns to ACC play, traveling to Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 17 at 6:00 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va.