Wake Forest Athletics
No. 12 Wake Forest Opens ACC Play Against Maryland
9/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 24, 2008
Wake Forest-Maryland Game Notes 
- WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The 12th-ranked Wake Forest women's soccer team opens conference play on Thursday night at 7 p.m., welcoming Maryland to Spry Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the web by ACC Select.
"Our players are very excited to open conference play," head coach Tony da Luz said. "Maryland is a good team that has improved quite a bit from last year. Hopefully we will be able to get off to a good start as we try to win a championship, which is our goal."
Wake was predicted to finish fifth in the ACC in the preseason coaches poll. Last season, the Deacons were expected to finish in the middle of the pack in the conference and finished in a tie for second. Da Luz hopes the preseason poll will motivate his team in conference play.
"The preseason poll will definitely be up on the bulletin board in the locker room," da Luz added. "Our kids are motivated to prove the other coaches in the league wrong."
The Deacons enter ACC play with a 7-1-0 record. Wake closed out its non-conference schedule last Friday with a 3-0 victory over UNC Greensboro. Three different players scored for Wake Forest, as Amy Smerdzinski, Kaley Fountain and Bianca D'Agostino each found the back of the net.
Junior Laura Morse extended her scoreless streak to 353:14, recording her third shut out of the season. Morse made one save against UNCG.
Maryland enters Thursday's game with a 4-3-1 record. The Terrapins are coming off an impressive 10-0 victory over Mount St. Mary's. The Terps are led by Kalia Sciascia, who has five goals and 11 points on the season. Annesia Faulkner leads the team in assists with six.
Maryland has used a pair of goalkeepers in non-conference play as Mary Casey has started four matches, while Yewande Balogun has also started four contests. Casey has allowed two goals on the season and Balogun has surrendered five goals.
"They have some freshmen that are really playing well," da Luz said. "It's hard to scout them since they have so many new players. They have more athleticism and more depth than they had last season. It's going to be a good test for us."
Wake Forest has recorded an 8-6-0 record all-time in conference openers. Last season, the Deacons snapped a four-game losing streak in ACC openers, defeating Virginia Tech 3-1.
The Deacons lead the all-time series against Maryland, currently holding a 9-7-0 advantage. The Deacs have won seven of the last 10 meetings between the two schools, including a 1-0 victory last season.
Live stats and a recap of Thursday's match will be available on wakeforestsports.com.
-WakeForestSports.com-
