Clemson, S.C. – The 14-seeded Clemson women’s soccer team (12-4-2, 5-3 ACC) readies for its first NCAA Quarterfinals match since the 2006 season and fifth all-time for the program. The Tigers secured their spot among the final eight teams with a 1-1 tie against 3-seeded UCLA, advancing 6-5 on penalty kicks.
Clemson is scheduled to face off against 11-seeded Santa Clara who netted two goals in a shutout victory over 6-seeded Arkansas in the Sweet Sixteen to advance. The match is set to kickoff from WakeMed Field #4 in Cary, N.C. on Sunday, May 9 at 5 p.m. with live coverage on GoHeels.
For a program competing in its 27th season, Clemson has its eyes on advancing to its first-ever College Cup with a win over the Broncos, which would also mark the program’s first win over Santa Clara in the all-time series which has spanned three games entering Sunday’s match.
Of those three games, Clemson and Santa Clara have only met once in the big dance, coming in the form of the 1997 NCAA Quarterfinals, the Tigers’ first-ever Quarterfinals appearance. This year’s tournament run has been the best ever under 10th-year head coach Eddie Radwanski, who took the 2016 squad to Sweet Sixteen.
Entering the match, Clemson has been led by early offensive efforts, scoring the opening goals in both tournament games despite both matches being clinched on penalty kicks. This season, Clemson holds an 8-0-2 record when notching the first goal while Radwanski boasts a 95-6-6 record in his time directing the Tigers.
On the opposing side, Santa Clara, who only had games slated for the spring season, carries a 9-1-0 record entering Sunday’s competition. The Broncos have been led offensively by Kelsey Turnbow and Izzy D’Aguila while outscoring their opposition 25-7 this season.
The winner of Sunday’s 1 p.m. match between 2-seed North Carolina and 7-seed Texas A&M will face the Tigers or Broncos in the College cup on Thursday. Time is TBA.
