CLEMSON, S.C.- The top-ranked Men’s Soccer program scored twice in the first half and kept the pressure on in a 3-0 win over Penn State (0-0-1) to open the 2024 season at Historic Riggs Field. Clemson (1-0-0) honored its 2023 National Championship season with a series of presentations before the game and wasted little time looking back once the game kicked off.
The Tigers come out strong scoring the first goal of the night at the 20:16 mark. Remi Okunlola dribbled the ball into the right corner and after having his first cross blocked, sent another across to Alex Meinhard who leapt to finish and give the Tigers their first goal of the season. Meinhard had the chance to get on the board in front of his parents, who traveled from Estonia earlier in the week to see the contest.
With 8:30 left in the half, junior transfer Misei Yoshizawa doubled the lead in his Clemson debut. Yoshizawa collected the ball near midfield and, dribbled all the way inside the 18 and, lofted a shot into the top right corner and sent the Tigers into the half with a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers kept the pressure on early in the second half, as Meinhard again gave Clemson a chance. Meinhard’s hard shot appeared to be going wide of the net before Penn State’s defender deflected the ball into the net for an own goal.
Late in the second half, Clemson’s goalkeeper Joseph Andema felt the pressure with two key saves and earned his first clean sheet of the 2024 season.
Up next the Tigers are traveling to the University of South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks (0-0-0) in the first game of the Palmetto series.
