Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Liberty
Demon Deacons Extinguish Flames, 6-1
11/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 8, 2000
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's soccer team crushed Liberty 6-1 Wednesday night at Spry Stadium in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Cup. Junior forward Emily Taggart led the Demon Deacons, scoring three goals for a hat trick and assisting one more. The Flames end the season with a 15-7 overall record in their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Wake Forest improves to 11-7-2 overall and advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
"We didn't know anything about them (Liberty) going into the game so we had to feel our way through it," said Wake Forest head coach Tony da Luz. "They totally closed us down in the middle, so we had to play it out wide. Emily (Taggart) played great today. She really set herself up well and can probably take some momentum from this into our next game."
Sarah Kate Noftsinger got Wake Forest on the board early in the match when she found herself wide open behind Liberty's defense and netted the shot from 12 yards out. The goal was scored at the 9:47 mark and was assisted by Taggart. Just before halftime, Taggart bashed in the game-winning goal when Rachael Lewis took a cross from Gabi Lieb and fed it to Taggart, who scored giving the Deacs a 2-0 lead for halftime.
Liberty came out aggressively attacking in the second half leaving the backfield vulnerable, which Wake Forest exploited. Gabi Lieb got loose on a breakaway and canned an unassisted goal in the 58th minute, giving the Demon Deacons a 3-0 advantage. Three minutes later Emily Taggart got the ball inside Liberty's penalty box and was fouled, setting up Wake with a penalty kick. Taggart took the PK and cashed it in, putting the Deacs up 4-0.
In the 70th minute of play, Wake Forest freshman forward Alena Thom kicked in a loose ball in the midst of a wild scramble in front of the Flames' goal. Liberty regrouped and Breanna Jacinto blasted a long shot into the upper right corner of Wake Forest's goal, cutting the Demon Deacons' lead to 5-1. Taggart struck again for Wake Forest though.
With less than four minutes remaining in the match, the Pleasanton, Calif., native smoked her tenth shot of the game through the outstretched hands of Flames goalkeeper Amy Moxley giving the Demon Deacons a season high six goals and Taggart her second career hat trick. The three-time all-ACC selection becomes the team's leading scorer after the evening's performance with nine goals and six assists on the year.
The Demon Deacons will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., to take on the defending national champions North Carolina at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12. The Tar Heels, who received a first round bye, will be looking for revenge after being shutout 1-0 by Wake Forest in their last meeting. The Deacs are playing in their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament and this will be the third time Wake has advanced to the second round.
Scoring Summary 1 2 FLiberty (15-7) 0 1 1Wake Forest (11-7-2) 2 4 6
9:47 WFU Sarah Kate Noftsinger (Emily Taggart)43:17 WFU Emily Taggart (Rachael Lewis, Gabi Lieb)57:14 WFU Gabi Lieb (unassisted)60:53 WFU Emily Taggart (unassisted)69:53 WFU Alena Thom (unassisted)70:06 LU Breanna Jacinto (Emily Shubin)86:41 WFU Emily Taggart (unassisted)
Shots: WFU 22 (11 on goal), LU 10 (4)Saves: Tracy Chao (WFU) 3, Amy Moxley (LU) 5Corner Kicks: WFU 4, LU 2Fouls: WFU 6, LU 7Cautions: noneAttendance: 352
