Who: at No. 23 Clemson When: Tuesday, October 11 Where: Clemson, S.C. | Historic Riggs Field Time: 7:00 p.m. Live Stats | ACCNX | TICKETS

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Following the first installment of the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) this season, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer team will travel to Historic Riggs Field to face No. 23 Clemson Tuesday night.
 
The Spartans earned a No. 25 RPI in the first ranking, while the Tigers are in the top 10 with a No. 7 mark.
 
Do you remember the 21^st night of September (2021)?
 
The Spartans sure do. The two teams battled it out that night in Greensboro, as the unranked Spartans came out on top over the then-ranked No. 2 Clemson, 3-1.
 
The setting is reversed, a few players have left each team, but both teams have postseason in mind.
 
RPI RANKINGS

• The Spartans are unbeaten against three teams in the top 40: SMU (No. 6), Louisville (No. 8), and Elon (No. 39).
• UNCG is the top SoCon team in the rankings, as Furman is next at No. 138.
• UNCG is the third school from North Carolina in the rankings as Duke is No. 2 and Wake Forest is No. 16.

CLIMBING HIGH

• UNCG earned its first United Soccer Coaches national ranking after starting the season 4-0.
• The squad is No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches South Regional poll.
• The Spartans are the highest non-ACC school ranked in the region.
• Most recently, UNCG earned a No. 21 ranking from College Soccer News and earned a No. 13 ranking from TopDrawerSoccer.

AMONG THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

• 5^th in goal differential (22)
• 7^th in total goals (30)
• 10^th in total points (86)
• 13^th in corner kicks per game (7.25)
• 13^th in team goals against average (0.667)
• 15^th in scoring offense (2.50)
• 16^th in shots on goal per game (7.25)
• 17^th in total assists (26)
• 18^th in points per game (7.17)
• 18^th in won-lost-tied percentage (0.792)
• 23^rd in shot accuracy (0.486)
• 25^th in assists per game (2.17)

SPARTANS AMONG THE NATION

• Niclas Wild – 21^st in goalie minutes played (990:00), 26^th in goals against average (0.727), 34^th in shutouts (4)
• J.C. Ngando – 1^st in total assists (9), 2^nd in assists per game (0.75), 31^st in total points (15)
• Ismail El Harchi – 1^st in shot accuracy (0.680), 8^th in game-winning goals (3), 24^th in shots on goal per game (1.55), 31^st in total points (15),  35^th in total goals (6), 49^th in points per game (1.36),

AWARDS

• UNCG swept three-straight SoCon Offensive Player of the Week honors and added its fourth of the season with Ismail El Harchi this week
  • Steven Hernandez (Sept. 6)
  • Marco Afonso (Sept. 13)
  • J.C. Ngando (Sept. 20)
  • Ismail El Harchi (Oct. 4)
• The Spartans also had Niclas Wild be named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 20.
• Afonso was also recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.
• Hernandez was named to College Soccer News Team of the Week.

LAST TIME OUT

• UNCG earned its fifth shutout of the season with a 1-0 victory over SoCon foe VMI in Lexington, Va.
• The Spartans saw Ismail El Harchi score his third-straight game-winning goal.
• J.C. Ngando tallied his ninth assist of the season, for a career best.
• Jarrett Payne earned his first clean sheet of the season in net, the second in his career for the Spartan. 

SOCON PRESEASON POLL & AWARDS
UNCG was voted to take the title in the Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason Coaches Poll after winning the 2021 Regular Season Title.
Release
 
J.C. Ngando, Emmanuel Hagan, Marco Milanese, and Niclas Wild all earned Preseason All-Conference recognition.
 
SCOUTING CLEMSON

• The reigning 2021 NCAA Champions, Clemson was voted a unanimous No. 1 team in the nation in the United Soccer preseason poll.
• The Tigers enter the match 8-2-1 coming off a successful road trip in which they defeated North Carolina 1-0 and drew Pitt 1-1.
• The Tigers are fourth in the Atlantic Division of the ACC.
• Ousmane Sylla has led the way for Clemson, scoring four goals and tallying five assists in eight matches.
• 11 Tigers have scored at least one goal.
• Mohamed Seye is second on the team in points with 10, scoring two goals with a team-best six assists.
• Trevor Manion and Joseph Andema have split time in net.
• Manion has let up 11 goals for 2.20 goals against average with a 3-2-0 record and one shutout.
• Andema has given up one goal for 0.17 goals against average with a 5-0-1 record and five shutouts.
• He is leading the nation in goals against average and save percentage (0.944).
• Clemson has outshot opponents this season 166-105, and outscored opponents 22-12.

ALL-TIME HISTORY

• Clemson is 8-2 all-time against the Spartans with the Tigers holding a 21-11 advantage in total goals.
• UNCG handed Clemson its first loss of the 2021 season in a 3-1 upset in Greensboro.