The California men's soccer team returns to the East Coast this week to play at No. 14 Clemson in an ACC battle on Friday in South Carolina and take on UNC Asheville in a nonconference match next Tuesday in North Carolina.
 
This marks the Golden Bears' second trip to the East Coast in September, including their games at Boston College on Sept. 7 and at Harvard on Sept. 10. The trip to UNC Asheville will be their first to the Tar Heel State since they played North Carolina, Duke and Clemson in last year's ACC Championship.
 
Cal brings a 3-2-2 record (1-0-1 ACC) to face the Tigers, who have the same record as the Bears.
 
At No. 14 Clemson (3-2-2, 1-0-1 ACC)
When: Friday, Sept. 19, 3 p.m. PT
Where: Historic Riggs Field, Clemson, S.C.
Watch: ACCNX
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
 
At UNC Asheville (4-1-1)
When: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 3 p.m. PT
Where: Greenwood Soccer Field, Asheville, N.C.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
 
Cal Ties No. 14 Duke 1-1
Freshman Noe Morales gave Cal a 1-0 lead over No. 19 Duke with his first goal as a Golden Bear last Sunday, but the Blue Devils scored a second-half equalizer at Edwards Stadium, and the teams settled for a 1-1 tie.
 
In the 22nd minute, Duke cleared a ball from deep in its penalty area only as far as Cal's Wisdom Onuoma, who was inside the top of the box. The defender
whipped a cross into the six-yard box, and the ball deflected off one or two Blue Devils by the near post before settling at Morales' feet in front of goal. The unmarked midfielder tapped the ball into the open net for his first collegiate goal.
 
The Bears took their 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
The final 45 minutes were somewhat even. Still, Cal retained its lead through 83 minutes and was a little more than six minutes from a win when the Blue Devils scored. A free kick just outside the Cal penalty area set up the goal. Kenan Hot – who scored an own goal in Cal's 2-0 win over Duke in the ACC Championship quarterfinals last fall – took the free kick. The midfielder played a short pass to Drew Kerr, who settled the ball for Hot, who served the ball into the Cal box. Midfielder Alessandro Arlotti headed the ball into the net for the tying goal at 83:58, and the match eventually ended in a 1-1 draw.
 
The Bears had the advantage in shots, 17-15, and corner kicks, 8-6. Cal goalkeeper Connor Lambe finished with five saves, while Dymora had six.
 
Scouting the Bears

• Newcomer Luka Lukic – a graduate transfer from UC Riverside – was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season after the forward scored three goals in his first two games as a Golden Bear, including the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory at UCLA on Aug. 24 and a brace in a 3-2 win at Saint Mary's in the Aug. 21 season opener
• The Belgrade, Serbia, native leads Cal in goals (5), points (10) and shots (21) and is tied with Cam Wilkerson (who scored the winner at Saint Mary's) and sophomore forward Malcolm Zalayet (who netted the winner at BC) for the lead in game-winning goals (1)
• Zalayet ranks second in goals (2), points (4) and shots (16)
• Midfielder Kieran Bracken Serra paces the Bears in assists (3) and is tied with midfielder Cam Wilkerson (1 goal, 1 assist) and midfielder Noe Morales (1 goal, 1 assist) for third in points (3 apiece)
• Goalkeeper Connor Lambe, who has started every game this year, has compiled a 1.30 goals-against average and a 0.667 save percentage
• Sophomore goalie Zack Andoh has notched a 1.26 GAA after starting the second halves of five matches

• Senior defender Alfredo Ortiz was one of 15 players named to the ACC Preseason Watch List this summer, after ranking fourth in goals (3) and points (7) for the Bears in 2024; he has one goal and two points so far this season
• Ortiz also contributed one of Cal's biggest goals of the season in the ACC Championship opener last November in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, converting Cal's lone penalty kick of the season to give the Bears a 2-1 win over the host Tar Heels
• Freshman winger Callen Lewis is the son of former MLS and USMNT star Eddie Lewis, who played for the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) and Los Angeles Galaxy along with several English clubs (Fulham, Preston North End, Leeds United and Derby County) and tallied 82 caps for the United States

• Leonard Griffin – who won the NCAA championship as a UCLA player in 2002 – was named the 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year last season and is in his fourth year as head coach of the Golden Bears
• A former professional player who was drafted No. 11 overall by the Chicago Fire in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, Griffin made MLS stops in Portland, Oregon, in Columbus, Ohio, and in Los Angeles with the Galaxy
• The Cal staff includes assistant coaches Ricardo Gutierrez – who worked with Griffin in the latter's previous stops at Grand Canyon and USF – and Jacob Wilson, a Cal men's soccer alumnus
• Henry Foulk – another Golden Bear alum and assistant coach – is in his 25th year of mentoring the goalkeepers at his alma mater
• Foulk and Cal have produced several talented goalies who have matriculated to the professional ranks, including current pros Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC, MLS), Drake Callender (Charlotte FC, MLS), David Bingham (Charlotte FC, MLS) and Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena FC, Italy Serie B)

Scouting the Tigers

• Clemson lost at home to Queens University of Charlotte 1-0 in its last game Sept. 16
• The Tigers are on a three-game winless streak that includes a 2-1 loss to VCU on Sept. 9 and a 1-1 tie at SMU on Sept. 13
• Midfielder Ransford Gyan leads the Tigers in goals (6) and points (15) and is tied with defender Remi Okunlola for the team high in assists (3)
• Joseph Andema has played every minute in goal and sports a 1.29 GAA and 0.654 save percentage
• Midfielder Nathan Richmond leads Clemson with two game-winning goals (4-1 over South Carolina, 3-2 against Pitt)
• Mike Noonan is in his 16th year as head coach of Clemson

Scouting the Bulldogs

• In last game, UNC Asheville tied East Tennessee State 1-1 on Tuesday, with defender Lennart Granzow scoring his first goal as a Bulldog
• UNC Asheville plays at USC Upstate on Saturday before meeting the Bears next Tuesday
• Goalkeeper Lucca Barros has played every minute for UNC Asheville so far and posted a 0.83 GAA with a 0.750 save percentage
• Mendes is tied with Arnor Hardarson for the team high in game-winning goals (2)
• Mendes, Hardarson and midfielder Charlie Wood are tied for the lead in assists (2)
• Danny Frid is in his first season as UNC Asheville's head coach

 
A Look Back At Cal-Clemson In 2024
Cal rallied after trailing 2-0 to No. 7 Clemson in the ACC Championship semifinals last season in Cary, North Carolina, but despite second-half goals from Malcolm Zalayet and Adrian Jacobs, the Golden Bears fell 3-2 to the defending NCAA and ACC champion to end their season.
 
The Bears topped No. 14 North Carolina 2-1 in the first round and upset No. 2 Duke 1-0 in the quarterfinals en route to the semifinals. But their journey ended one step short of the final. The result also snapped the Bears' three-game winning streak and left their record at 8-8-2.
 
The Tigers got a goal by Tyler Trimnal in the fifth minute to take a 1-0 lead. In the 23rd minute, Clemson forward Alex Meinhard scored in a crowded box to make Cal's deficit 2-0.
 
Cal got on the scoreboard at the 50:10 mark on a goal by forward Malcolm Zalayet, who tapped the ball into the net from close range. At 61:51, Duncan and played a short pass to Adrian Jacobs, who scored to tie the game 2-2.
 
In the 66th minute, Clemson's Ransford Gyan scored from in close to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead and eventually the win.
 
Klinsmann Named To USMNT Camp
Cal alum Jonathan Klinsmann was named to the U.S. Men's National Team roster ahead of recent friendlies against South Korea and Japan, but he did not play in the 2-0 loss to South Korea on Sept. 6 nor in the 2-0 win over Japan on Sept. 9. The son of former USMNT head coach and Germany star Juergen Klinsmann – who also previously coached South Korea – the 28-year-old Jonathan Klinsmann played 22 games for Cal from 2015-16. Formerly a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Klinsmann now plays for Cesena FC in the Italian Serie B.
 
Next Time
Cal returns home to host Syracuse in an ACC clash on Sept. 27 at Edwards Stadium.
 
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