Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Connecticut (adidas Classic)
Wake Forest Dominates #10 Connecticut, 2-0
8/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 29, 2003
Winston-Salem, N.C. - The fourth-ranked Wake Forest men's soccer team opened the 2003 season with a major statement, taking a 2-0 victory against 10th-ranked Connecticut at the Wake Forest adidas Classic.
An overflow crowd of 3,232 saw the Deacons outshoot the Huskies by an overwhelming 21-1 margin. Connecticut's only shot of the game came in the 65th minute.
The Demon Deacons controlled the possession and played an attacking style for the entire 90 minutes. The teams were scoreless at halftime but Wake Forest owned an 8-0 advantage in shots.
Just three minutes after halftime, junior Stephen Keel got the Deacons on the scoreboard. Keel let James Riley's service slide into the penalty area where Tomy Szczypiorski corralled it and touched in back in front of the net.
Keel fired the shot and although Connecticut goalkeeper Steve Behonick got a piece of the ball, he didn't get enough to prevent Wake Forest from taking a 1-0 lead.
In the 70th minute, Jeremiah White and Ryan Alexander combined to give the Deacons an insurance goal. White's blast from the top of the penalty area was saved but Alexander was there to clean up the rebound. He lined a left-footed shot from 10 yards out into the top of the goal for a two-goal cushion.
First team Preseason All-American goalkeeper William Hesmer did not need to make a single save during the game to record his 16th career shutout.
The Deacons also extended their regular season home winning streak to 21 games stretching back to September 2001. After Friday's victory over Connecticut, Wake Forest is 5-0-1 against ranked teams at Spry Stadium.
The crowd of 3,232 was the fourth-largest regular season crowd in Spry Stadium history, the ninth overall including ACC and NCAA Tournament events.
In earlier action at the Wake Forest adidas Classic, 19th-ranked North Carolina upset 5th-ranked St. John's with a 2-1 overtime victory. The Red Storm outshot the Tar Heels 13-7 but North Carolina's final shot of the game was the difference at Jamie Watson's shot barely crossed the goalline at the 97:44 mark of overtime.
The Tar Heels will play Connecticut on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. before the Deacons face St. John's at 7:00 p.m. at Spry Stadium.
