Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Radford
Stengel Nets Two as Deacs Down Radford 2-0
8/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 11, 2011
Follow Wake Forest Women's Soccer on Twitter
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Sophomore Katie Stengel picked up right where she left off last year, scoring twice in the first 20 minutes to lead the Wake Forest women's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Radford in its first exhibition match of the 2011 season.
Stengel, who set a new school record with 16 goals last season, struck first in the 12th minute when she collected a cross from Jackie Logue that was spilled by Radford keeper Lisa Lubke and put it into a vacant net. Stengel's second goal came in the 19th minute when she beat her defender to run onto a through ball out of the midfield from Rachel Nuzzolese and calmly slotted a shot past the charging Lubke.
"Everyone worked really hard and we combined really well," said Stengel. "We've been trying to take what we've been working on in practice and bring it into the game and tonight it really worked out."
The Demon Deacons dominated throughout the game, especially in the first half where they outshot the Highlanders 14-2, finishing the game with a 16-2 advantage in shots.
Staunch Wake Forest defending completely shut down Radford, leaving the Highlanders with no threatening attacks throughout the match. Goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe faced no serious tests in net, making one save en route to recording the shutout.
"We kept (Radford) pinned in pretty well and the pressure was good," said head coach Tony da Luz. "Our fitness level was very high and it definitely showed. I'm super-proud of the shutout from a team defending standpoint. Anytime you walk out of a game with a shutout, you're doing pretty well"
The Deacs unleashed flurry of shots on frame in the opening period and the pressure paid off in the 12th minute. Jackie Logue made a long attacking run to the endline from the left back position, lofting a cross into the area that was bobbled and dropped by Radford's Lubke. The ball fell to the feet of Stengel who tapped it into the vacated net to give Wake Forest a 1-0 lead.
Wake threatened again in the 14th minute when Nuzzolese, playing in her first competitive match since recovering from a knee injury that forced her to miss the second half of the 2010 season, took two shots from close range that were saved by Lubke.
The Deacs struck again in the 19th minute. Nuzzolese played a long through ball from the center circle and Stengel outjostled her defender to get free on a breakaway, easily placing a shot past the charging keeper.
Stengel had an opportunity to extend the lead 29th minute when she got the ball inside the six-yard box, but her shot was stopped by a Radford defender.
After taking a 2-0 lead into the locker room at half time, da Luz went to his bench in the second half, giving him an opportunity to see some new players in a competitive environment. The Deacs still controlled possession but we unable to generate any more serious chances.
Wake Forest will play its Black vs. Gold intrasquad scrimmage tomorrow night at BB&T Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. The Deacs have one final exhibition game on the road at VCU on Sunday before they open the regular season with road games at Auburn on Aug. 19 and UCF on Aug. 21.
The Deacons first home game of the year will come when they host Connecticut at 6 p.m. on Sept. 2 as part of the Wake Forest Nike Challenge.
