Wake Forest University


Virginia (ACC Semifinals)

Virginia Slips Past Top Seeded Wake Forest, 2-1
11/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 12, 2004
CARY, N.C. - In an absolute monsoon and completely unplayable field conditions, the third-seeded Virginia Cavaliers slipped past the top-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 2-1, in semifinal action from the 2004 ACC Men's Soccer Tournament. The entire field was covered with water the entire second half.
Virginia (16-4-0) jumped out to an early one-goal lead in the ninth minute. Hunter Freeman, the nation's leader in assists, played a re-start from the right wing and found Adam Christman alone in the penalty area. Christman headed home his team-leading eighth goal of the season. The assist for Freeman was his 21st, which set a new single-season school record for the Cavaliers.
Wake Forest (13-5-1) equalized in the 24th minute. Steven Curfman played a low-ball into the box to senior Scott Sealy. The ACC Offensive Player of the Year tried to turn his defender with the ball at his feet, but the wet conditions made the ball skip away. Freeman then chased down the 50-50 ball, but his clearance attempt deflected off the right leg of Sealy over Cavalier goalkeeper Ryan Burke and into the open net. The goal was Sealy's team-best 14th of the season.
The two teams would enter halftime with the match tied, 1-1.
The Cavaliers managed two successive corner kicks early in the second half. On the second corner kick, the ball appeared to glance off a Virginia forward, but the Cavaliers were awarded with a third consecutive corner kick. After the initial ball was cleared, Will Hall won the ball about 35-yards from the Demon Deacon goalmouth. Hall played a ball to the back post to an unmarked Mike Littlefield. Littlefield headed home his third goal of the season, beating Wake Forest goalkeeper Brian Edwards to the near post at the 51:18 mark.
From that point forward, the match looked more like kickball then soccer. Neither team was able to dribble, let alone put passes together. Literally, from 18-yard box to 18-yard box, the field was completely flooded with water. The game was relegated to nothing more than long ball after long ball.
Despite the horrendous conditions, the Demon Deacons managed to created some stellar scoring chances. Curfman nearly equalized just moments after the Cavalier go-ahead goal. The midfielder found some space and hammered a shot from just 30-yards out. The shot was headed toward the upper corner, but Burke made an outstanding sprawling save to keep the Cavaliers on top.
The Deacs were dealt another blow when senior defender James Riley picked up his second yellow card of the match and was ejected at the 67:42 mark. Despite playing the rest of the match a man down, the Deacs continued to attack. Then, in the 78th minute, Wake Forest appeared to have equalized the match. On a Curfman corner kick, Wes Allen broke free inside the Virginia six-yard box and headed the ball back toward the far post beating Burke, but Cavalier sweeper Matt Oliver reached out and stopped the ball with his hand just before it crossed the goaline.
Curfman was involved in another incredible chance in the 81st minute. Senior Tomy Szczpiorski was fouled just outside the penalty area. Curfman's ensuing free-kick glanced off the cross bar and out of bounds.
The Deacs outshot the Cavaliers, 11-5, but were not able to get past Virginia. The Cavaliers have now defeated the Demon Deacons six consecutive times overall and nine straight in ACC Tournament action. It is the fourth straight year that Virginia has eliminated the Deacs by a single goal in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Wake Forest has now bowed out of the ACC Tournament in the ACC semifinals six straight years and nine out of the past 10.
Wake Forest will now set its sight on the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Despite the loss, the Deacs have most likely done enough to secure a top-eight seed in the tournament. Wake Forest will await word on its seeding and opponent when the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament Selection Show is aired on Monday, Nov. 15 at 4:30 on ESPNews.
-- WakeForestSports.com --