1998 Demon Deacon Season Wrap-Up

December 30, 1998

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--The Wake Forest men's soccer team saw its 1998 season come to a close in the first round of the ACC Tournament, where the Demon Deacons fell to fourth-ranked Duke on their home turf at Spry Stadium, 1-0. After standing at 10-3-1 late in the season, the Deacs were seemingly in good shape for their first NCAA bid since 1991. However, Wake dropped four of its last five contests to finish at 11-7-1 overall and 1-4-1 in the ACC and was overlooked by the NCAA committee. Three of those last four losses came to powerful ACC squads that made the NCAA tourney, though, and the fourth (to North Carolina) came when the Deacs were playing without two of their top players due to yellow card accumulation. Despite its disappointing end, the 1998 season was highlighted by some impressive individual and team performances.

SEASON FINALE: DEACS LOSE 1-0 BRAWL TO NO. 4 DUKE IN ACC TOURNAMENT
Duke's Ali Curtis headed in a Noah Lewkowitz corner kick at the 19:05 mark as the third-seeded and fourth-ranked Blue Devils shut out Wake Forest, 1-0, in the first round of the 1998 ACC Men's Soccer Tournament at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem. The Demon Deacons suffered a huge blow early in the game, when junior All-ACC defender Chad Evans (LaPlata, MD) went down with a serious knee injury. Wake rallied without its defensive leader, however, and generated several good scoring chances late in the first half. Despite outshooting the Devils 10-8, though, the Deacs were unable to find the back of the net and saw their 1998 season come to a close. Junior goalkeeper Sean Conner (Georgetown, TX) made two saves in the loss.

WAKE FOREST PLAYS HOST TO 1998 ACC TOURNAMENT
Wake Forest played host to the 1998 ACC Men's Soccer Tournament, considered the premiere collegiate soccer event in the nation. A combined total of 13,735 fans attended the three-day event at the expanded W. Dennie Spry Soccer Complex, which featured an interactive fan festival area and a salute to the former ACC players who have competed in the World Cup. Game competition was fierce, with six of the seven ACC squads ranked in the top 25 in at least one of the three major polls. Top-seeded and No. 1 ranked Clemson went on to earn the tourney title, defeating third-seeded and fourth-ranked Duke 1-0 in the regionally-televised championship game.

THREE DEACS EARN POSTSEASON HONORS
Three Demon Deacons earned postseason honors for their outstanding play in the 1998 season. All three players were named to both the All-Atlantic Coast Conference and the All-South Region teams. Junior defender Chad Evans (LaPlata, MD), the anchor of the Deacon defense, was a first-team All-ACC and a first-team All-South Region choice, while senior midfielder Serge Daniv (Lviv, Ukraine) earned first-team All-ACC and second-team All-South Region honors. Senior midfielder Kyle Bachmeier (Winston-Salem, NC) received second-team All-ACC and third-team All-South Region kudos. It marked Evans' second appearance on both teams, after earning second-team All-ACC honors and third-team all-region honors last year. Daniv made his third appearance on both squads; he was second-team All-ACC in 1995 and first-team in 1996, earning first-team all-region honors both years. Bachmeier is a first-time All-ACC and All-South honoree. (see below for more details on these three players).

DEACONS IN THE ACC TOURNAMENT
Following the loss to Duke, WFU now owns a 6-9-4 (.421) record in the ACC Tournament since its inception in 1987. The Deacons have made two trips to the title game (1989, 91) and brought home one ACC crown (1989).

DEACS VS. THE TOP TEN
Wake Forest performed impressively in big games this season, owning a 2-3-1 record against teams ranked in the NSCAA top 10. The Deacs defeated No. 1 Washington (2-1) and No. 10 South Carolina (2-1), tied No. 4 Virginia (2-2), and fell once to No. 1 Clemson (1-0) and twice to Duke (3-1 in the regular season when Duke was ranked No. 3; 1-0 in the ACCs when Duke was No. 4).

NEW FACES IGNITE OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
After struggling to put points on the board last season, Wake Forest experienced somewhat of an offensive explosion in 1998. In fact, the Deacon offense was among the best in the nation in terms of goals per game (2.37), ranking as high as sixth nationally during the course of the season. This scoring surge can be attributed to the addition of several different faces in the Deacon lineup in 1998, In fact, over half of Wake's goals this season (26 of 45) were scored by players who did not play on the team last season. Two were returnees who missed last fall - senior midfielders Serge Daniv (Lviv, Ukraine) and Trent Lind (Ormond Beach, FL) - and three were newcomers to WFU - junior forward Greg Krauss (Clearwater, FL) (a transfer), and freshmen midfielders Jamal Seale (Overland Park, KS) and Chris Lonteen (Rolling Meadows, IL).

BACHMEIER TIES WAKE FOREST ALL-TIME ASSIST RECORD T
he heart and soul of the Deacon team this year was undoubtedly senior Kyle Bachmeier (Winston-Salem, NC), one of the top midfielders in the ACC and the Deacs' primary offensive playmaker. An unselfish player with outstanding field vision and ball distribution skills, Bachmeier tallied three goals and a team-high seven assists in 1998, earning second-team All-ACC and third-team All-South Region honors. With his seven assists this year, Bachmeier tied the Wake Forest career record of 24 assists, set by Mark Erwin from 1980-83. He also moved into fifth place on the WFU all-time points list with 52 career points (14g, 24a). A four-year starter, Bachmeier spent the offseason playing with the nation's top collegiate players in the prestigious adidas summer league.

DANIV'S RETURN SPARKS THE DEACON MIDFIELD
Not coincidentally, the Deacs' offensive explosion occurred roughly about the time that senior midfielder Serge Daniv (Lviv, Ukraine) returned to the lineup in full force. An explosive playmaker who earned All-ACC and third-team All-America honors in 1996, Daniv suffered a serious knee injury which sidelined him for over a year. After redshirting the '97 season, he eased his way back into the Deacon lineup this fall and earned his first start in Wake's 2-1 upset of No. 1 Washington (where he assisted on the game's opening goal). He started 10 of the last 12 games (missing the UNC contest due to five yellow cards) and tallied five goals and two assists on the year. With 48 career points (17g, 14a), Daniv now ranks sixth all-time at WFU in points, ninth in goals, and 10th in assists. A first-team All-ACC and second-team All-South Region pick this year, Daniv still has a year of eligibility remaining and is expected to return as a national player of the year candidate next fall.

EVANS PUTS TOGETHER AN OUTSTANDING JUNIOR CAMPAIGN
Wake's solid defense was led by junior Chad Evans (LaPlata, MD), who was named to both the All-ACC and the All-South Region first teams this fall. A second-team All-ACC and third-team All-South Region pick last year, Evans brought his defensive game to a new level in 1998, cementing his spot as one of the nation's premiere marking backs. Routinely assigned to cover an opponent's top striker, he shut down some of the most explosive players in collegiate soccer, including UVa's Chris Albright and Washington's Wes Hart. He also earned all-tournament honors twice this season (at the Nike-Wake Forest Classic and the Nike Husky Classic) and even tallied two goals and five assists on the offensive end of the field. Evans was a member of the 1997 U.S. Under-20 national team and played in the prestigious adidas summer league in '98.

THREE OTHER SENIORS CLOSE OUT CAREERS
In addition to Kyle Bachmeier (see above), three other Deacons saw their collegiate careers come to a close with the loss to Duke - Skip Jenkins (Charleston, SC), Andrew Laskowski (South Orange, NJ), and Trent Lind (Ormond Beach, FL). Jenkins served as a valuable reserve for the Deacs for four years, competing in 28 games in his career. This season, he played in 15 games, starting seven, and he collected his first career goal. Laskowski was also a part of the WFU program for four years, playing in 53 career games (starting 11) and tallying seven goals and six assists. Laskowski did not see action in 1998. Lind returned to the team this year after taking his junior season off and has played forward, midfield, and marking back in his three-year career. He played in 56 career games and was the Deacs' leading goal-scorer as a freshman in 1995. Lind scored two goals in 19 games this fall.

KRAUSS MAKES SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM FOOTBALL TO SOCCER
It didn't take long for junior transfer Greg Krauss (Clearwater, FL) to make the switch from field goals to soccer goals. Krauss, in his first season of collegiate soccer after two years as a placekicker for the Ohio University football team, emerged as the Deacs' leading scorer this fall. Krauss started all 19 games at forward, contributing 10 goals and two assists for a team-high 22 points. He became the first Deac to tally double-digit goals in a season since John Duguid in 1991, and he led the Deacs in shots on goal with 70. Krauss posted his first career hat-trick on Oct. 6th, netting three goals in the Deacs' 6-1 win over UNC Asheville. An outstanding youth soccer player, Krauss continued to play club soccer while at Ohio U., leading his Clearwater (FL) Chargers team to the Under-19 National title in 1997 and earning tournament MVP honors. He still has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining.

DEACONS BEGIN WITH "D"
Joining the aforementioned Chad Evans in the Deacon backfield were two equally impressive defenders in junior marking back David Kawesi-Mukooza (Williamsville, NY) and sophomore sweeper Brock Hilpert (Durham, NC). Kawesi-Mukooza, who started in the midfield last season, made a remarkably smooth transition to marking back and proved himself one of the best in the region at that position. Kawesi-Mukooza contributed a goal, three assists, and a team-high three saves off the line this fall. Hilpert, known as "the rock" to his teammates for his smart, consistent play, continued to blossom into one of the ACC's top sweepers in just his sophomore season. A smart player with outstanding field vision, Hilpert contributed four assists this fall.

STAFFORD COMES ON STRONG IN THE LATE SEASON
Sophomore forward Ben Stafford (Signal Mountain, TN), who ranked as the team's fourth-leading scorer as a freshman last year, emerged as one of the Deacs' top offensive weapons this season. Stafford played in all 19 games, starting 13, and was the team's second-leading overall scorer with 20 points. He also ranked second on the team in both goals (7) and assists (6). In addition, Stafford led the team in game-winners, notching three on the year - including the last two Deacon GWGs. Stafford came on particularly strong in the last few weeks of the season, tallying four goals and two assists in the Deacs' last six games. His best outing of the year was a two-goal, one-assist performance vs. Charleston Southern.

CONNER MINDS THE CAGE
Wake had the luxury of a talented goalkeeper in the cage this fall in junior Sean Conner (Georgetown, TX). A two-year starter in net, Conner led the ACC in solo shutouts (7) and ranked second in save percentage (.805) in his first season as a starter in 1997. In 1998, Conner recorded a 1.31 goals against average and collected three solo shutouts. In fact, Conner already ranks as one of the top all-time goalkeepers at WFU, ranking tied for fourth in career shutouts (12.0), fifth in career GAA (1.18), and seventh in career saves (154). A former field player, Conner excels in reading the game quickly and anticipating problems before they arise. A team co-captain in 1998, he will return to mind the cage as a senior in 1999.

SEALE MAKES AN IMPRESSIVE ROOKIE DEBUT
Freshman midfielder Jamal Seale (Overland Park, KS) made an impressive rookie debut with the Deacons, starting all 19 games and ranking as the team's third-leading scorer overall (5g, 4a). In his first week as a collegian, Seale tallied three goals and two assists, leading WFU to the Nike-Wake Forest Classic title and earning Tournament MVP, ACC Co-Player of the Week, and Soccer America Team of the Week honors. He also scored a goal in the Deacs' 2-1 upset of No. 1 Washington.

LONTEEN LOST TO BROKEN LEG
Freshman Chris Lonteen (Rolling Meadows, IL), another explosive rookie midfielder, made an immediate impact in the Deacs' first 10 games before suffering a broken fibula vs. UNC Asheville on Oct. 6th. He started eight of those first 10 matches on the right flank, tallying four goals and an assist. Three of his four goals came in big games, as he notched both goals in Wake's 2-2 tie with No. 4 Virginia and the game-winner vs. No.1 Washington. The injury kept Lonteen out for the remainder of the season, however, further depleting a talneted yet thin midfield corps. With the loss of playmaker Kyle Bachmeier to graduation, however, a healthy Lonteen will be counted on as a key to the Deacon midfield in 1999.

FINAL ACC RANKINGS
Individuals
Sean Conner - 5th in GAA (1.31); 5th in save percentage (.676); 6th in saves per game (2.63).
Greg Krauss - 9th in scoring average (1.16 ppg); 8th in goals (10); 7th in goals per game (0.53).
Team: 2nd in scoring offense (2.37 gpg); 5th in scoring defense (1.24 GAA); 5th in shutouts (0.21 spg).
ACC Single-Game Highs: Individual Goals (3) - Greg Krauss vs. UNC Asheville

HONORS AND ACCOLADES
Kyle Bachmeier - Third-Team All-South Region; Second-Team All-ACC; Nike-Husky Classic All-Tournament Team, 9/27; Serge Daniv - Second-Team All-South Region; First-Team All-ACC; Nike-Husky Classic All-Tournament Team, 9/27; Chad Evans - First-Team All-South Region; First-Team All-ACC; Nike-WFU Classic All-Tournament Team, 9/6; Nike-Husky Classic All-Tournament Team, 9/27; Brock Hilpert - Nike-WFU Classic All-Tournament Team, 9/6; David Kaweesi-Mukooza - Nike-WFU Classic, All-Tournament Team, 9/6; Jamal Seale - Nike-WFU Classic Tournament MVP, 9/6; ACC Co-Player of the Week, 9/7; Soccer America Team of the Week, 9/8.

QUICK KICKS
Wake outshot its opponents 311-170 on the season (+7.4) and outscored them 45-24 (+1.1)...WFU was 7-0 when ahead at the half, but 0-4 when trailing at the half...sophomore Peter Walsh (North Brunswick, NJ), who made the team as a walk-on last year, started five of the last seven matches at midfield...junior Patrick O'Keefe (Stow, MA), a walk-on goalkeeper, appeared in four games this season, once in the cage and three times as a forward...senior midfielders Serge Daniv (Lviv, Ukraine) and Kyle Bachmeier (Winston-Salem, NC), the Deacs' top two playmakers, were both forced to sit out the UNC game on Nov. 1 due to five yellow cards. Wake lost a tough 2-1 decision without the duo in the lineup...Wake averaged 1,747 fans per home game in 1998. The Deacs set a new Spry Stadium record with 2,917 fans at the Virginia game on Sept. 19th (just shy of the stadium's normal 3,000 capacity).

DEACON DETAILS
Final 1998 Record: 11-7-1, 1-4-1 ACC
Postseason: none
Win/Lose Streak: Lost 3
Final Rank: nr (CP)/25 (SN)/nr (SA)
1997 Record: 10-10, 2-4 ACC (6th)
Head Coach: Jay Vidovich (Ohio Wesleyan '82) Record at WFU: 54-39-4 (5th yr)
Career Record: 54-39-4 (5th yr)
Assistant Coaches: Paul McDonough, James Eley

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