The Arkansas Razorbacks dropped another close one Thursday night, falling 1-0 to Clemson at Razorback Field.
The loss pushed Arkansas to 0-3-1 on the young season.
The Hogs came out swinging early.
Before the 15-minute mark, Arkansas had already earned three corner kicks and drawn a save from Clemson keeper Nona Reason.
Arkansas kept the pressure on as the half rolled along. In the 44th minute, defender Madden McDonald and midfielder Molly Teed both fired shots that pulled Reason off her line.
The Razorbacks couldn’t quite finish the job though, and the open net went unused.
By halftime Arkansas had outshot the Tigers 5-2. Hogs goalkeeper Keegan Smith didn’t need to make a single save in that opening period.
A missed chance changes the game
The best scoring chance of the night for Arkansas came in the 62nd minute.
Senior midfielder Sabrina Jones sent in a cross that deflected off the hand of Clemson’s Anna Castenfelt inside the penalty box.
Officials awarded a penalty kick after a challenge from the Hogs.
Senior midfielder Kennedy Ball stepped up to take it. Her shot went low and to her right, but Reason came up with the diving save.
It marked Arkansas’s first missed penalty of the season on two attempts.
Seven minutes later, Clemson made the Hogs pay.
Forward Reagan Thompson dribbled from outside the 18-yard box down into the six-yard area, beating her defender and opening up space for teammate Ella Bach near the top of the six.
Bach settled the ball with one touch, then slid a shot over a diving Smith and into the net for the game’s only goal.
Arkansas managed two more shots after that but couldn’t put either on target.
Final numbers close but not enough
Clemson finished with the edge in shots, 10-9, while the Razorbacks won the corner kick battle 8-2.
Both goalkeepers ended the night with three saves apiece. Clemson improved to 2-1-3 with the win.
Arkansas doesn’t have much time to dwell on the result.
The Hogs are back at Razorback Field on Sunday, August 30, hosting Little Rock, who sit at 1-2-1.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and the match will stream live on SEC Network+.
