Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Resumes ACC Play Against Virginia Tech
9/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 30, 2010
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - After three straight non-conference matches, Wake Forest jumps back into Atlantic Coast Conference play on Friday, hosting Virginia Tech. Match time at Spry Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
Tickets for Friday's match are $6 and can be purchased in advance at WakeForestSports.com or on gameday at the stadium. Soccer season passes are $45 for adults and $25 for youth (3-18) and seniors (55+).
Fans that can't make it out to Friday's game can still catch all the action with a live webcast of the game through Wake Forest All-Access on WakeForestSports.com. Subscriptions to Wake Forest All-Access, which includes every home men's soccer game during the 2010 season, is $9.95 a month or $79.95 for the year. Live stats and a recap of the match will also be available on WakeForestSports.com.
The second student soccer tailgate of the season will take place before Friday's match. A live band will perform outside the stadium between 5-6:45 p.m. Sections inside the stadium and on the hill by Polo Road will be reserved for students. Also, students can start collecting Deacon Minutes at 5 p.m.
The Demon Deacons bring a 3-4-1 record and 2-0-0 conference mark into Friday's match. Wake is currently second in the ACC with six points, three points behind North Carolina Wake Forest dropped a 1-0 decision to South Carolina on Tuesday night. The Deacs had a 13-6 advantage in shots, including an 11-1 edge in the second half, but were unable to score a goal. Bradlee Baladez scored the only goal of the match, finding the back of the net in the sixth minute, after a failed clearance by the Wake Forest defense.
The Deacs have scored seven goals in the first eight games of the season. Sophomore Andy Lubahn leads Wake Forest with three goals on the season, including two game winners. Freshman Luca Gimenez is second on the team with five points, scoring two goals and an assist. Sophomore Anthony Arena has also scored two goals this season, with one score being a game winner.
In goal, Akira Fitzgerald has started every game this season for the Demon Deacons. Fitzgerald has a 3-4-1 record in net with a 1.22 goals against average. In 740 minutes, Fitzgerald has allowed 10 goals, while making 32 saves and recording one shutout.
Virginia Tech is 3-4-1 on the season and 1-0-1 in the ACC. The Hokies are currently tied for third in the league with four points. Virginia Tech has won two straight entering Friday's contest, including a 1-0 win against American on Tuesday night.
Offensively, the Hokies are led by David Clemens, who has tallied three goals and an assist on the season. Robert Alberti is also tied for the team lead in goals with three. Clarke Bentley and Mikey Minutillo each have found the back of the net twice.
The Hokies have used three goalkeepers on the season, with Kyle Renfro seeing the most extensive playing time. Renfro has started six times this season and has a 3-2-0 record with a 0.84 goals against average and one shutout. James Daly and Thomas St. Germain have also played in goal for Virginia Tech this season.
Wake Forest holds a commanding 12-2-2 lead in the all-time series with Virginia Tech and a 5-1-0 edge in games played in Winston-Salem. The Deacs are unbeaten in their last 10 meetings with the Hokies, including a 5-1 win in Blacksburg last season.
For all of the latest information on Wake Forest men's soccer, please log on to www.WakeForestSports.com or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account @wakemenssoccer or www.twitter.com/wakemenssoccer.
