Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Maryland
Men's Soccer Belts Maryland, 4-2
10/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 2, 2004
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest senior forward Scott Sealy scored a pair of goals and added one assist to lead the 25th-ranked Demon Deacons past 11th-ranked Maryland, 4-2, in ACC men's soccer action from Spry Stadium Saturday night before a season-high crowd of 3,289. The Wake Forest victory snapped a three-match losing streak.
The Terrapins (5-3-1, 0-2-1 ACC) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Domenic Mediate was in the right place at the right time after Jason Garey's initial shot was stopped by Demon Deacon goalkeeper Brian Edwards. Mediate, trailing the play, charged the rebound and slotted the ball into the open net in the 11th minute.
Wake Forest (4-3-1, 1-1-0 ACC) wasted little time in equalizing. Sophomore Ryan Solle was fouled while streaking down the right wing. Fellow sophomore Steven Curfman sent the ensuing free-kick into the penalty area where freshman Julian Valentin volleyed the ball past Maryland goalie Noah Palmer at the 16:25 mark. The goal was Valentin's first of his career.
The Demon Deacons struck again at the 25:08 mark. Senior Amir Lowery was fouled in the penalty area on a Wake Forest corner, resulting in a penalty kick. Sealy buried the penalty into the far right corner of the net to give the Deacs a 2-1 lead.
The Terps got the goal back after Jason Garey chested the ball down and worked his way through three Demon Deacon defenders, but had the ball knocked away. Mediate was trailing the play and got the loose ball and put the ball past Edwards to tied the match, 2-2.
The Demon Deacons put the game away in the second-half with their best 45-minutes of soccer this season.
After another foul just outside the Terrapin penalty area, Wake Forest would strike on another set piece. Curfman again whipped in a dangerous ball that Sealy got a head on and flicked backwards past Palmer into the side-netting in the 64th minute.
The goal was the eighth of the season for Sealy and 34th of his outstanding career. The senior now trails Ben Stafford by a mere two goals for third place on the Wake Forest all-time career goal list.
Wake Forest would add an insurance goal at 73:43. Junior Justin Moose and Sealy teamed up on a beautiful combination play through the Maryland midfield. Sealy dropped the ball behind the Maryland defense into the penalty area. Moose chased down the ball, beat his Maryland counterpart and rifled the ball past Palmer to give the Deacs a 4-2 advantage.
The Demon Deacons outshot the Terps, 22-7, on the evening and 12-2 in the deciding second stanza. Wake Forest controlled so much of the play after halftime that Edwards only faced two Maryland shots and was not forced to make a single save.
The attendance of 3,289 was the fifth largest crowd in Spry Stadium regular season history.
The Demon Deacons return to action next Sunday afternoon Oct. 10 with a match against NC State. Kickoff with the Wolfpack is scheduled for 2 p.m.
-- WakeForestSports.com --
