Manny Perez's goal in the seventh minute was the difference in Friday's match.
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men's soccer team (2-1-0, 1-0-0 ACC) shocked previously unbeaten No. 3 Clemson (4-1-0, 0-1-0 ACC) in both programs' Atlantic Coast Conference opener Friday night, winning 1-0.
Freshman Manny Perez scored his third goal in as many matches, finding the back of the net in the seventh minute after a through ball from David Loera. The Wolfpack defense remained stout throughout the 90 minutes, with freshman goalkeeper Leon Krapfaiding making five saves.
Here's the @mannyP113 goal that earned valuable @ACCMSoccer points. #ncaasoccer pic.twitter.com/Yy4PHt3cUe
— NCSU Men's Soccer (@PackMensSoccer) September 9, 2017
One of Krapfaiding's best saves of the evening came in the 68th minute when he tipped a Patrick Bunk-Anderson header from close range off the crossbar and out for a corner. The Wolfpack defense effectively handled all seven corners earned by the Tigers.
NC State outshot Clemson by a 12-10 margin and nearly doubled its lead with some late pressure, earning three corners and generating two shots in a very short span of time between minutes 78 and 80.
RANKINGS: Top two remain the same with Stanford, Wake Forest leading the poll
The match was a physical one, with seven separate bookings taking place throughout the 90 minutes. Clemson's Diego Campos was sent off in the 71st minute after earning a straight red for a sliding challenge on Loera.
.@CoachKiefer speaks with @TechSports following the 1-0 win over No. 3 Clemson. #ncaasoccer pic.twitter.com/NzGcSNBbZT
— NCSU Men's Soccer (@PackMensSoccer) September 9, 2017
Friday's victory was NC State's first over Clemson since the 2008 season and was the first victory over a top-five opponent since a 2-1 win over No. 5 Louisville on Oct. 3, 2014.
