National champs! Clemson men’s soccer shuts out Washington to win 2021 College Cup
The Clemson Tigers are back on top of the men’s soccer world.
For the first time since 1987, Clemson won the men’s College Cup national championship, topping the Washington Huskies 2-0 on Sunday at WakeMed Soccer Park for the third title in program history.
The road to the championship for the eight-seeded Tigers (16-5-2) required close wins against tough opponents. After beating Denver 1-0 in their first game, they beat the ninth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats 2-1 and the No. 1 seed Oregon State Beavers in penalty kicks. From there, they won a hard-fought game against fourth-seeded Notre Dame before beating No. 2 Washington on Sunday.
“I’m just overjoyed that the ball bounced our way and we’re the national champions,” Clemson head coach Mike Noonan said.
Though it was a difficult path on paper, Noonan said he felt conference play prepared his team for the postseason.
“Every game in the ACC is a tough, tough game,” Noonan said. “The preparation that we have for the year really helped us. At the end of the day, it’s not who we play, it’s how we play. If we do Clemson the way that we need to do Clemson, we don’t care who we play.”
This was Noonan’s second appearance in the College Cup championship game, with the first coming in a 2015 loss to Stanford.
The years in between saw the Tigers endure difficult losses in the postseason, and even a few during the 2021 regular season. On Sunday, however, everything came together for the team.
“They just stayed at it. Through those disappointments, (the team) grew strength,” Noonan said. “When we came to the tournament, this team was tough, and they showed it throughout the tournament.”
The Tigers broke things open early Sunday, with forward Isaiah Reid taking advantage of a misplay from Washington’s goalie and scoring a wide-open goal. With the score coming 27 seconds into the game, Clemson was able to play with an early lead and control much of the first half.
The next Tiger goal came on a highlight play, with senior defender Charlie Asensio lofting the ball in the air to set up Reid, who headed it in for his second goal of the game.
“I hadn’t scored much in 14 games, but I didn’t let it deter me away from trying to help out the team,” Reid said. “It just feels really good to get on the mark and score two goals to help my team win the natty.”
The Tigers managed to limit the Huskies to just one shot on goal in the first half, holding a 2-0 lead after 45 minutes.
Despite playing a long game Friday, going into penalty kicks with Notre Dame, Clemson used the early lead Sunday to its advantage. The Tigers controlled the game’s pace, keeping Washington at bay with two shots on goal. The Huskies got more shots off late as they tried to cut into the lead, but were unsuccessful.
Senior goalkeeper George Marks was also instrumental in the win, making big saves for the team throughout the second half. He made a few plays on the ball by going airborne, even catching shot attempts on multiple occasions. The defensive unit kept Washington from getting good looks, and it was Marks who prevented shots the Huskies from converting on its attempts.
“I was able to do my job,” Marks said. “That’s what it’s about. Playing your role to the best of your ability.”
After clinching their first national championship in 34 years, the Tigers and their fans ran onto the field in celebration. Marks was named the defensive MVP of the College Cup while Reid took home the offensive MVP award for their performances on Sunday.
While the fans and players celebrated on the field after the game, bringing home the first College Cup victory for the Tigers in more than three decades served as a special moment for the team.
“I think ‘Clemson Tigers national champions’ has a pretty good ring to it,” Marks said.
Clemson men’s soccer in national championships
- 2021: Clemson 2, Washington 0
- 2015: Stanford 4, Clemson 0
- 1987: Clemson 2, San Diego State
- 1984: Clemson 2, Indiana 1
2021 College Cup scores
- Game 1: Clemson defeats Notre Dame 1-1 (5-3 PKs)
- Game 2: Washington defeats Georgetown 2-1
- Game 3, national championship: Clemson defeats Washington 2-0
This story was originally published December 12, 2021 at 4:13 PM.