November 15, 1998

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Tiger goalkeeper Josh Campbell earned tournament MVP honors as top-seeded Clemson (20-1) defeated third-seeded Duke 1-0 to win the 1998 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Championship in front of 4,929 fans at Spry Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest University. It marked the Tigers' first ever ACC crown and earned Clesmon an automatic berth in the 1998 NCAA Tournament.

The Clemson defense stifled Duke (18-3) for much of the match, allowing the Blue Devils just five shots on goal all afternoon. After a scoreless first half, junior midfielder Scott Bower scored what proved to be the game-winner at the 53:08 mark as he took a cross from sophomore midfielder Mark Lisi and put it past Duke goalkeeper Atli Knutsson.

Campbell did not allow a single goal through two games of the tournament, making seven saves in the Tigers' 2-0 semifinal win over Maryland and one save in the title game against Duke. Also earning spots on the ACC All-Tournament Team were Clemson's Wojtek Krakowiak, Mark Lisi, Scott Bower, and Jeff Bilyk. Duke placed four players on the all-tourney squad: Jay Heaps, Evan Whitfield, Atli Knutsson, and Kevin Sakuda. NC State's Jeremy Ballenger rounded out the team.

The Tigers and the rest of the ACC men's soccer teams await the announcement of the 1998 NCAA Tournament field, consisting of 32 teams, on Monday, November 16th.

No. 3 Duke      0   0 - 0   (record: 18-3-0)
No. 1 Clemson   0   1 - 1   (record: 20-1-0)

Scoring Summary:
   53:08   Clemson - Bower (Lisi)

Shots: Duke 5, Clemson 11
Corner Kicks: Duke 7, Clemson 5
Goalie Saves: Duke 3 (Knutsson 3), Clemson 1 (Campbell 1)
Fouls: Duke 19, Clemson 15
Attendance: 4,939

QUOTES FROM CLEMSON HEAD COACH TREVOR ADAIR:
"I'm thrilled with our play in this tournament. We've been very much performance based this year rather than result oriented. Today we executed our game plan and our defense took a lot away from them today.

"I'm very happy for our seniors today. For them to be a part of the first ACC Championship in Clemson history is great. I know that they will all remember this for a long time.

"Duke is a phenomenal team. I think that today was our best defensive effort of the season. In the first 15 minutes of the game I think we played some of the best soccer we've played all season. That defensive effort starts on the front line and goes all the way back to the defensive players."

"Wake Forest did a great job hosting this tournament. Their people were just great this weekend. I'm happy not only for out university but for the conference as well."

QUOTES FROM DUKE HEAD COACH JOHN RENNIE:
"I want to congratulate Clemson, they played a great game and are certainly worthy champions. I think that they will represent our league well in the NCAA Tournament, most likely as the nation's #1 seed."

"I'm happy with the way we played. We knew coming in that the danger in Clemson is in transition and that's exactly where they got their goal from."

"Today we just couldn't get behind their defense. We played very well but that was the difference. At the end of the first half we had the game where we wanted it and again early in the second half. We were a little tired in the last third of the game having played three games in four days."