WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – No. 18 Clemson (13-5-1) went on the road and controlled the entirety of the ACC semifinal match at No. 20 Wake Forest (14-5-0), defeating the fourth-seeded Demon Deacons 2-0 on Wednesday night. Just as they did in the ACC quarterfinal victory over Duke, Brandon Parrish and Derek Waleffe found the back of the net and gave Clemson the victory.
With the win, Clemson advanced to its 10th ACC Championship match, and as the No. 8 seed, became the lowest seed to ever reach the final. This will be the fifth time in Mike Noonan’s 13 season tenure that his Tigers will play for the ACC title.
The Tigers came into the match and immediately took it to the home side. Clemson held its opponent to zero shots in the first half for the first time all season, while testing Wake’s keeper four times.
Brandon Parrish struck first for the Tigers, as the junior midfielder took a pass from Ousmane Sylla and blasted a right-footed shot from well outside the penalty area that beat the keeper and found the back of the net. It was Parrish’s second absolute stunner of a goal in as many games.
Clemson carried the 1-0 lead into halftime, but did not slow down in the second frame. A corner kick whipped in by Isaiah Reid bounced around and found Derek Waleffe. The graduate transfer from Brown volleyed the ball off a defender into the back of the net. Two goals proved insurmountable, as the Tigers became the lowest seed to ever advance to the ACC Championship match.
While Parrish and Waleffe stole headlines for the second consecutive match, a major part of the story was the Tigers’ defense, which did not allow a single shot on goal. Goalkeeper Joseph Andema, who was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team earlier on Wednesday, earned his eighth clean sheet of the season. This was the Tigers’ fifth consecutive win, three of which came in shutout fashion.
Up next, the Tigers will return to the scene of their 2021 National Championship victory at WakeMed Park in Cary, N.C. to take on No. 2 seeded Syracuse for the ACC crown on Sunday, November 13. The match will be televised on ESPNU, and will begin at noon. Tickets are on sale now for the championship match and can be purchased HERE. General admission tickets are $10. Admission is free for youth ages 18 and under, as well as students of ACC institutions (with valid ID).
