CLEMSON, S.C. – Behind two second-half goals, No. 7 Clemson women’s soccer downed Radford, 2-0, to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Seniors Makenna Morris and Caroline Conti netted both goals for the Tigers, who earned their 14th shutout of the season in front of 1,755 fans at Historic Riggs FIeld.
“We wanted to come out and dominate the game, Radford came in with a defensive plan and they were trying to keep the game close. The hardest thing to do in a game is score and then it’s even harder when they put numbers back there,” Head Coach Eddie Radwanski said. “We got two goals and the name of the game is to win so we got the win, we got the shutout and played well.”
The Tigers came out strong in the first half with the defensive line allowing zero scoring opportunities for the Highlanders as Radford wrapped up the first 45 with no shots. Clemson tabbed 11 total shots, with five on target. The Tigers were also awarded six corner-kicks in comparison to Highlanders two corners.
In the second half, Morris helped the Tigers secure the 1-0 lead as she was able to knock one in at the ‘55 mark. Mackenzie Duff found possession of the ball and was able to pass it to Conti, who was able to find Morris in scoring position. Conti crossed the ball to Morris who was able to sneak it past the Radford keeper.
In the ‘76, Conti showed her skills on the pitch as she was able to use her speed to maneuver past four Radford players and knock one into the net. The goal marked Conti’s seventh of the season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Addy Holgorsen recorded her first-career start for the Tigers.
“There is a little bit of nervousness that comes with it but my teammates were all there for me and we stepped up and we got the donut which is all that matters,” Holgorsen said. “We are moving on, next round.”
Up next, the Tigers will face the winner of Sunday’s Columbia/Rutgers game as the Tigers advance to the second round and will host their next opponent at Historic Riggs Field next weekend.
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