The Clemson women’s soccer team has closed out its regular season schedule after a narrow 3-2 defeat against No. 10 Duke last Thursday. The Tigers hold a record of 7-5-5, 4-4-2 ACC, and entered the match ranked No. 25 in the United Soccer Coaches rankings.
It has now been two years since head coach Eddie Radwanski’s team made history by reaching the College Cup semifinals for the first time in program history. Of the iconic 25-player side, only eight remained for the 2025 season.
Effectively, this is a very young team that Radwanski is sporting. Out of the 11 players with the most minutes registered this season, six are freshmen and one is a sophomore.
The Tigers, many of whom had not been exposed to the intensity of college soccer, have been tested all season long with one of the most difficult schedules in the country. Beginning with No. 18 Ohio State in the first match of the season, Clemson has faced off against nine ranked opponents thus far.
This includes playing No. 1 Virginia and No. 2 Notre Dame just 72 hours apart.
The results were not coming favorably, and Clemson went nearly the entirety of September without a win, going 1-3-3. Despite this, the Tigers still produced great moments, displaying mounds of potential within the team.
The leadership performances of Renee Lyles and the midfield excellence of Carla Small could undoubtedly prove that lack of quality was not the issue with the team. However, it was only after suffering arguably the worst defeat of the season that lightning began to seep from the bottle.
In the 5-1 defeat against No. 2 Notre Dame, midfielder Anna Castenfelt hit a stunning free kick in the closing minutes to give the Tigers their lone goal. Although on paper it appears as a mere consolation goal, the essence of watching it feels much greater and influences the players.
From that point on, Clemson pulled off an impressive feat to close the second half of the season strongly. Radwanski’s team won four straight games — all ACC matches, three being away from home, and one against No. 17 Wake Forest.
Juju Harris, one of the several freshmen playing a major role in this Clemson side, has proven to be integral to the offensive success of the team. The attacker currently ranks first in the ACC for game-winning goals, with five, and 12th for assists with seven.
The Tigers have unfortunately missed out on qualifying for the ACC Tournament, but it may still be possible for them to qualify for the College Cup. With the ACC arguably being the most competitive conference in college soccer, there are typically more teams selected to compete from the conference.
These at-large selections will be announced on Nov. 10. Should Clemson be selected, it is in form to compete.
