Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Get Ready to Battle #1 Maryland
9/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 24, 2003
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Deacons Square Off With #1 Maryland in Battle of Top Ten Teams... 10th-ranked Wake Forest (4-2) heads to College Park, Md., for a Saturday match against top-ranked Maryland (7-0) at Ludwig Field.
- The Terrapins and Deacons were picked #1 and #2, respectively, in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Maryland has held onto the top spot in the national polls since the preseason. Wake Forest has lost two of its last three but could get back on track in the ACC with a victory against the nation's top-ranked team.
- Last year, the Deacons defeated Maryland 3-0 at Spry Stadium but the Terrapins went on to win the ACC Tournament and advance to the College Cup.
- Since 2001, Maryland owns a 17-game winning streak at Ludwig Field. Wake Forest, however, has enjoyed recent success in College Park coming away with a win (2-1 OT, 1999) and a tie (2-2 OT, 2001) in its last two trips.
- Saturday's game marks the end of the team's longest road swing of the season. This is the fifth road contest in a six-game stretch.
- The Deacons will play seven of their next nine games at Spry Stadium where Wake Forest has not lost a regular season game since the 2001 home opener.
Last Time Out... Wake Forest was defeated by sixth-ranked Old Dominion 2-0 in Norfolk, Va., last Sunday in a game that was postponed by 48 hours due to Hurricane Isabel. The Deacons were again without All-American forward Jeremiah White -- who has been out since the second half of the Virginia game. Wake Forest was outshot 13-11 for the game.
 | The Game At A Glance #10 Wake Forest Radio: Web: Records: Rankings: Coaches: Series History: Did You Know?: |
A Hard Look at the Hardshells... as expected, Maryland has been a machine in 2003. The nation's preseason number one has played the part, scoring 13 goals while allowing only one through their first seven games. At 7-0, the Terps are off to their best start in 35 years. Maryland returns all 11 starters from last year's 20-5 squad that reached the College Cup semifinals.
- Redshirt junior Abe Thompson is the team's leading scorer. He has four goals and two assists to his credit before Wednesday's action. Junior goalkeeper Noah Palmer and the Maryland defense have already recorded six shutouts.
White Suffers Broken Cheekbone... in the second half of the Virginia game on Sept. 13, Jeremiah White took an elbow to the face from Cavalier midfielder Kirk Dinnall. The blow broke the zygomatic arch, the left cheekbone in White's face.
- White underwent successful surgery at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to repair the damage on Wednesday, September 17.
- Originally expected to be out up to eight weeks, doctors are now optimistic about an earlier return, provided White wears a large protective mask.
- In White's absence, the Deacons have scored two goals in 215 minutes.
Last Year's Win Against Maryland... the 3-0 Wake Forest victory at Spry Stadium was the most lopsided Deacon victory in the series 24 meetings. Ryan Alexander scored the first goal midway through the first half with an assist from Justin Moose. In the closing seconds before halftime, the Deacons counter-attacked following a Maryland corner kick. With six seconds on the clock, James Riley was hauled down in the penalty area by Seth Stammler, who received a yellow card. On the ensuing penalty kick, Jeremiah White increased the Deacon lead to two. Adam Hakes put the finishing touches on the win with his first goal of the year.
Checks and Balances... through six games, the Deacons have scored nine goals. If it seems like almost everyone is getting in the act, it's because they are. Eleven different players have been a part of the team's nine goals. That includes seven different goal scorers -- Jeremiah White, Tomy Szczypiorski, Ryan Alexander, Adam Hakes, Kelvin Jones, Stephen Keel and James Riley. Each of those players have one assist. Four others have also recorded assists including Scott Sealy, Ryan Solle, Steven Curfman and Justin Moose.
Poll Particulars... Wake Forest is ranked 10th this week by Soccer America, and ranks 11th through 16th in other polls. The Demon Deacons have now spent 31 straight weeks in the top 25 and 16 straight weeks in the top 10. They were in the top five for the first three weeks of the season.
- Eight WFU foes are in the top 25 week this week including Maryland, Old Dominion, St. John's, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Connecticut, Coastal Carolina. Wake is 3-2 vs. teams currently ranked in the top 25.
Deacons Among Nation's Leaders in Attendance... last year, Wake Forest enjoyed a great home field advantage in front of enormous crowds at Spry Stadium. The Deacons drew crowds of 3,000 or more for five of their 11 games. That allowed Wake Forest to rank third nationally, first in the ACC, with an average of 2,067 fans to lead the ACC and rank third nationally in attendance for the third time in four years. The Wake Forest adidas Classic drew 6,643 fans during the two days.
Hesmer, White Selected to Hermann Trophy Watch List... Wake Forest placed two players on the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List, the NSCAA announced on Tuesday. A total of 15 of the nation's finest college soccer players were mentioned and Deacon seniors William Hesmer and Jeremiah White were on the list. Wake Forest, along with Maryland and UCLA, were one of only three schools to place two players on the Watch List for soccer's equivalent to the Heisman Trophy.
- As a junior, Hesmer was selected as a first team All-American by Soccer America and a second team All-American by the NSCAA. He was a first team All-ACC and All-South selection after posting nine shutouts last year and recorded a 0.65 goals against average, a new Wake Forest record. That mark ranked second nationally last year.
- White, a forward from Lansdowne, Pa., is a two-time All-ACC First Team selection. He was an NSCAA All-American in 2001. Despite battling injury through the first half of last season, White notched a team-high 11 goals. Five of those were of the game-winning variety, including one in the 88th minute against Old Dominion in the NCAA Tournament.
Hesmer Named First Team Preseason All-American... senior goalkeeper William Hesmer was selected as a first team preseason All-American by Soccer America. As a junior, Hesmer was a first team All-American by Soccer America and a second team All-American by the NSCAA. He was a first team All-ACC and All-South selection after posting the best single season by a goalkeeper in Wake Forest history. Hesmer was a part of nine shutouts last year and recorded a 0.65 goals against average, a new Wake Forest record. That mark ranked second nationally last year.
White Named College Soccer News National Player of the Week... senior All-American forward Jeremiah White was tabbed as national player of the week by College Soccer News on Sept. 3. The native of Lansdowne, Pa., was easily the most dangerous offensive threat of the weekend, tallying ten shots in the two games to make the Wake Forest adidas Classic All-Tournament team. He assisted on a goal during Friday's game against Connecticut. On Saturday against St. John's, White's first goal tied the game. His second goal put the game out of reach, making it 3-1.
Up Next... the Deacons return home next Saturday to play NC State at Spry Stadium at 7 p.m. The Wake Forest Sports Marketing Department is hoping to set a new regular season attendance record. The current record is 3,771 set last year against Clemson.
