Mountaineers blank Clemson in top-10 showdown

Amandine Pierre-Louis fought through traffic to score the decisive goal in West Virginia’s 1-0 win over Clemson.

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Amandine Pierre-Louis scored in the 56th minute and the No. 6 West Virginia women used stifling defense to beat No. 8 Clemson 1-0 on Friday night before the fourth-largest home crowd in program history.

“Wins like tonight’s are huge for confidence,” said Mountaineers coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. “We beat a great team in Clemson.

“It was huge. The crowd was huge. They responded, and it was incredible.”

A crowd of 2,019 turned out for the home opener at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, where West Virginia (2-0-1) extended its unbeaten streak to 26.

Locked in a scoreless match 10 minutes into the second half, Pierre-Louis made the play of the night. After receiving the ball out wide from Easther Mayi Kith, Pierre-Louis beat two Clemson players before firing from near the penalty-kick line toward the far upper-right corner. Her first goal of the season beat Clemson keeper Kailen Sheridan, a third-team All-American in 2015.

““Easther found me out wide, and I knew it was time I had to go up there because everyone was in the box,” Pierre-Louis said. “I knew I had to put the ball in there and go myself. I knew I needed to shoot. Worse case, someone would find the rebound.”

Pierre-Louis nearly made it 2-0 in the 90th minute, but after carrying the ball the length of the field, her shot from wide skimmed the far-right post and went out of play.

The Mountaineers looked in control throughout the muggy evening, finishing with an 18-6 shot advantage. The defense, bolstered by the return of All-America center back Kadeisha Buchanan, held the Tigers to just one shot on-goal, a late chance by midfielder Shannon Horgan that Mountaineer freshman Rylee Foster easily saved.

Clemson entered the night averaging 2.5 goals per game.

“They have 11 returners and an All-American in goal. That’s an incredible ACC team we just beat,” said Izzo-Brown.

Clemson’s Sheridan was forced to make seven saves, five in the first half. The Tigers finished with a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.

Six minutes before halftime, Sh’Nia Gordon had a great look at the net, but her lofting shot was tipped away by Sheridan.

Abam followed with hard shot beyond the 18-yard box in the 41st minute, but Sheridan met the ball at the left post.

The Tigers looked dangerous in the 77th minute, as defender Sam Staab’s floating shot from distance sailed over the box and glanced off the high post out of play.

“I was very proud of our effort tonight, playing a good team like West Virginia on their home field,” said Clemson coach Eddie Radwanski. “We had five or six chances around the goal, but the quality was not where it needed to be.”