Cardinals Read: Louisville Falls Short of ACC Championship Finals in Semifinals

In a thrilling match on Wednesday night, the University of Louisville men’s soccer team suffered a 5-1 defeat to No. 14 Clemson, ending their quest for an ACC Championship. Despite putting up a strong fight, Louisville could not overcome Clemson’s dominant performance.

Clemson got off to a quick start, scoring the opening goal in just the seventh minute. However, Louisville quickly responded 12 minutes later. David Boccuzzo created a turnover in the attacking third, and Parker Forbes’ cross connected with Gage Guerra’s head, finding the back of the net for an equalizer.

This goal marked Guerra’s seventh of the season and his first since September 8th. Despite missing eight matches due to injury, Guerra has been a key contributor with seven goals this season.

The match remained level at one for the next 12 minutes, thanks to the exceptional goalkeeping of Alex Svetanoff. The redshirt-freshman made an impressive seven saves during this period, denying the Tigers’ attack.

However, Clemson’s relentless attack eventually proved to be too much for Louisville. The Tigers regained the lead in the 31st minute and extended their advantage even further in the 36th minute, heading into halftime with a 3-1 lead. Svetanoff made a crucial save on a penalty kick opportunity in the closing minutes of the first half, preventing the deficit from growing even larger.

The second half saw Clemson continue to dominate, adding two more goals in the 68th and 71st minutes. Their performance secured a spot in Sunday’s ACC Championship match.

Although Louisville suffered a loss, Svetanoff had a standout performance, setting a new career-high with 11 saves.

Now, Louisville will eagerly await their NCAA Tournament draw, with the selection show taking place on Monday at 1 p.m. ET. Despite this setback, Louisville will continue their pursuit of success and look to make their mark in the upcoming tournament.

For updates and behind-the-scenes content, fans can follow Louisville men’s soccer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LouisvilleMSOC.