Tiger men's soccer wraps up best finish since 2006, with most ACC wins since 2001

Before the season began, Clemson men’s soccer coach Mike Noonan allowed that it would take some time for a freshman-heavy team to develop into an ACC and, by proximity, national contender.

The Tigers have done just that, and now arrive at the ACC tournament as a team that nobody really wants to play.

That task will fall to third-seeded Duke, which will play host to sixth-seeded Clemson next Tuesday in the opening round of the new-format ACC tournament.

Clemson, at 4-0-1 unbeaten in its last five matches, evened its overall record at 8-8-1 and its conference mark at 4-4 by defeating Virginia Tech 2-1 Thursday night at Blacksburg.

The ACC regular season finished as a tightly packed affair, with North Carolina (14-2-2 and 5-1-2) atop the standings, with Maryland (13-2-3 and 4-2-2) in the top two positions. Both teams spent time this season ranked No. 1 in the nation – most recently the Terps until being knocked off by Clemson a week ago.

The next five teams finished within half a game of each other – Duke, Virginia and Wake Forest at 4-3-1, and Clemson and Boston College at 4-4.

NC State and Virginia Tech trailed the field, and will play on Monday at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, NC for a spot on Tuesday against the top-seeded, regular-season champ Tar Heels.

In other quarterfinal matches, Maryland will play at home against Boston College, and Wake Forest will play at Virginia.

The semifinals and finals will be played next Friday and Sunday at Wake-Med Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

Clemson’s match-up against Duke will put the Tigers against a Blue Devil team that handled them easily, 5-2, at Riggs Field on Sept. 16.

The eight wins are the most for the Tigers in a single season since 2006. That year, the Tigers won 13 and advanced to the NCAA's Final Four.

The four ACC victories are the most for the Tigers since the 2001 season. It is also the first .500 season for league victories since 2006, when that team had a 3-3-2 record in ACC action.

Clemson’s eight victories include wins over two teams currently ranked in the top nine nationally – Maryland and Boston College; while the eight losses include non-conference setbacks to two teams ranked in the top 22 – Charlotte and Furman.

As has become the custom, both Clemson’s youngest and most experienced players blended their talents in key roles during the Tigers’ victory over the Hokies Thursday night.

Freshman Brynjar Benediktsson – the current NSCAA national player of the week – and junior Austin Savage set up the Tigers’ go-ahead goal against Virginia Tech, which was scored by freshman Bastien Bacro-Duverger just seven minutes into the match.

Savage netted the Tigers’ second goal at the 84:14 mark, off an assist by freshman Iain Smith.

Clemson outshot the Hokies 15-9, and goalkeeper Cody Mizell turned back two Virginia Tech shots.

"We played exceptionally well in the first half," said Clemson’s Nonnan. “It’s unfortunate that we only scored one goal. They made it more difficult in the second half, and we defended well. Austin Savage scored one of the most beautiful goals you are going to see in college soccer. They scored late, and we held on to win. I am very proud of this team."