Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Elon
#1 Deacons Hold Off Elon, 3-1
10/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 23, 2002
Winston-Salem, NC - The top-ranked Wake Forest men's soccer team held off visiting Elon 3-1 on Wednesday night at Spry Stadium. For head coach Jay Vidovich, it was his 100th career victory and for the team, it was their tenth of the season.
The Deacons dominated the game statistically, outshooting Elon 24-4 for the game with nine corner kicks to the Phoenix's one. All three Wake Forest goals scored by substitute players. The Deacons continue to get goal production from the bench as eight of the team's last 11 goals have been scored by reserves.
The first was by the team's leading scorer, Jeremiah White. It came in the 31st minute on a rebound. White's initial shot was on target but deflected off the crossbar by a Phoenix defender. White was there, however, to clean up the rebound for his sixth goal of the season. White has now registered a point in his last seven contests with goals in six of those games.
Wake Forest struck again in the 41st minute on sophomore Stephen Keel's first of the year. After Ryan Caugherty's laser from 22 yards clanged off the post, Keel was on the doorstep and popped in the rebound.
The teams went to the locker room s with the Deacons on top 2-1 and Wake Forest holding an 11-2 edge in shots.
Freshman Grey Ballard from nearby Elkin, N.C., scored the goal of the game in the 85th minute. He found the back of the net on a diving header from ten yards away on a cross from the left wing by Ryan Alexander.
Elon actually got on the board first in the 12th minute on Paul Bellacqua's tenth goal of the season. His shot from the top of the box deflected off a Deacon defender and caught goalkeeper William Hesmer going the wrong way. Rolling on the ground, the ball found the right corner of the cage.
Wake Forest wins its tenth game of the season. The Deacons have won at least ten games in each of Jay Vidovich's nine years at the helm.
A total of nine substitutes got into the match on Wednesday night.
The Deacons travel to Chapel Hill to take on the University of North Carolina on Saturday night. Kickoff at Fetzer Field is set for 7:00 p.m.
1 2 - FElon (5-9-1) 1 0 - 1#1 Wake Forest (10-0-3) 2 1 - 3
ELON 11:12 Paul Bellacqua (10) (Chad Heinicke)WFU 30:27 Jeremiah White (6) (unassisted)WFU 40:07 Stephen Keel (1) (Ryan Caugherty, Ryan Alexander)WFU 84:18 Grey Ballard (1) (Ryan Alexander, Justin Moose)
Shots: WF 24, ELON 4Saves: WF 3 (Hesmer 3, McEachern 0), ELON 8 (Ostendorf)Corner Kicks: WF 9, ELON 1Fouls: WF 12, ELON 5Cautions: WF 0, ELON 1 (McDowell, 74:06)Attendance: 588Weather: 62 degrees, clear, calm winds
