No. 2 Clemson Falls to UNCG 3-1 for its First Loss of 2021

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The No. 2 Clemson men’s soccer team (7-1, 2-0 ACC) dropped its first result of the 2021 season on Tuesday night at a rainy UNCG Soccer Stadium in a 3-1 loss to UNC Greensboro (5-2-1, 0-0 SoCon). Prior to the match, the Tigers had shutout six straight opponents and were outscoring their matchup by a score of 25-1 on the year. 

The Tigers, who had only conceded one goal on the season before tonight, fell behind in just the second minute of the match, allowing their first goal in just over 623 minutes of play. The Spartans doubled their lead in the 32nd minute to send Clemson into the halftime locker room facing its first two-goal deficit of the season.

Luis Felipe Fernandez-Salvador cut the deficit in half in the 60th minute on a header off the cross of Enrique Montana. The Tigers pushed and threatened for an equalizer, but when UNCG knocked home a third goal with just 11 minutes to play, the UNCG lead became insurmountable. 

Up next, the Tigers return home to Historic Riggs Field where they will take on the Pitt Panthers in a rematch of the 2020 ACC Championship. That match will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. and will stream on ACCNX.