Wake Forest University
Santa Clara
Deacons Headed to Men's College Cup
11/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 24, 2006
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
The second-seeded Wake Forest University men's soccer team is headed to St. Louis for the 2006 Men's College Cup after taking down tenth-seeded Santa Clara, 3-1, on a gorgeous Friday evening in front of 3,520 fans at Spry Stadium. Wake will play the winner of the UC Santa Barbara-Northwestern match on Friday, Dec. 1, at Robert R. Hermann Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., for the right to play in the national championship game on Dec. 3.
Wake (18-3-3) went down a goal in the 24th minute off of a penalty kick goal from Santa Clara freshman Peter Lowry. Midfielder Keith DeVey split the Wake Forest backline and found himself alone with Wake Forest goalie Brian Edwards. DeVey made a move to get past Edwards, but the keeper was called for a foul after bringing down the Bronco midfielder. Edwards was issued a yellow card for the foul, and Lowry put in the ensuing penalty.
The Deacs were able to equalize just before halftime off another superb strike from senior Steven Curfman from a set piece. After forward Marcus Tracy was fouled 25 yards in front of goal, Curfman lined up the ensuing free kick. The Cary, N.C., native found room on the left side of the goal and laid down a crisp, swerving shot that gave Santa Clara goalie Joseph Buttitta no chance. Curfman scored in similar fashion against Towson in the Deacs' round of 16 game, making this the second-straight match he has scored off a restart.
After going into the lockeroom tied at 1-1, senior Ryan Solle nearly put the Deacs up a goal just moments into the second half of action. The Broadway, N.C., native was 12 yards in front of a keeperless net, but his shot was saved off the line by Bronco defender Jamil Roberts.
In the 76th minute, sophomore Michael Lahoud was able to score the go-ahead goal. Receiving a pass from sophomore Sam Cronin, Lahoud was able to free himself on the right side of the penalty box. He subsequently served what appeared to be a cross, but the curve on the shot took the ball over the goalie, ricocheted off the back post and into the net. The goal was Lahoud's third on the season.
The tempo of the game picked up dramatically for the remainder of the match as Santa Clara (13-5-5) frantically tried to equalize. The game was sealed in the Deacons' favor, however, with senior Wells Thompson's seventh goal of the season in the 84th minute. Solle found Thompson with a beautiful through ball that split two Bronco defenders and landed on Thompson's foot in stride. The local product from Winston-Salem raced down the left side of the box, held off a defender and beat the keeper to the near post with a well-placed shot low to the turf.
The Deacs were able to run out the last six minutes of the clock to hang on for the victory and the right to represent Wake Forest at the Men's College Cup.
The win extended the Wake school record for victories in a season to 18 and advanced them to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program's history. Virginia was also a winner on Friday evening, defeating Notre Dame, 3-2, in Charlottesville. If Duke beats UCLA on Sunday, the ACC would be represented by three of the final four teams left standing.
