Wake Forest Athletics
No. 7 Deacons Travel to NC State, Host Miami
9/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 21, 2011
The seventh-ranked Wake Forest women's soccer team (8-1-0, 1-0-0 ACC) continues with ACC play this week, traveling to NC State on Thursday for a 7 p.m. match, before returning home to host Miami on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Spry Stadium. The game against the Hurricanes will be broadcast on WakeForestSports.com, via the CBS Sports All-Access Package.
Deacons Earn Highest-Ranked Win Since 2004
Wake Forest proved itself to be a national contender, as Katie Stengel scored twice and the Wake Forest defense earned yet another shutout to lead the Deacons to a 2-0 win over No. 3 Florida State last week at Spry Stadium. The No. 3 Seminoles were the highest-ranked win for Wake Forest since 2004, when they topped a No. 3 Virginia side.
Stengel's first goal came just before halftime when she ran onto a long ball from Alisha Woodson and hit a one-timer past FSU keeper Kelsey Wys. Her second came in the 57th minute, when she got under a cross from Jackie Logue that was set up by Riley Ridgik and heading into the back of the net.
The Deacons followed up the conference opener with a 2-0 win on the road at South Carolina on Sunday. Stengel and Ally Berry scored for the Deacs, with Berry also earning an assist for her first-career multi-point game.
Stengel Among ACC and National Leaders
Katie Stengel has continued her scoring tear to start the season and remains alone atop the conference scoring and points charts with 11 goals and 25 points, numbers that also put her in the top-10 nationally. Last year, Stengel finished as the ACC leader in both categories and also ranked in the top-10 nationally
And She's Only a Sophomore...
Katie Stengel's rampage through the Wake Forest record books has rolled on this season. Her 11 goals in nine games this season put her on pace to shatter the single-season record of 16 that she herself set as a freshman last year. In fact, only three other Demon Deacons have scored more goals in an entire season than Stengel has in less than half of the 2011 campaign.
Perhaps even more remarkable, in only a season and a half in the Old Gold and Black, Stengel is already high up the Wake Forest career scoring charts. Her 27 goals are the sixth most in a career for any Wake Forest player. She needs only nine more goals to tie Jill Hutchinson's career record of 36 goals.
Awards Pour in for Katie Stengel and Jackie Logue
After totalling three goals in Wake Forest's wins over No. 3 Florida State and South Carolina, Stengel earned widespread national recognition. She was named ACC Player of the Week. NSCAA National Player of the Week, and Soccer America National Player of the Week, in addition to making Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week and CollegeSoccer360.com's list of Primetime Performers of the Week. Stengel is the only player in the conference this season to earn ACC Player of the Week honors multiple times.
Captain Jackie Logue joined Stengel on Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week, after anchoring the Wake Forest back line to two shutouts while also assisting on one of Stengel's goals against Florida State.
Bledsoe's Sixth Shutout Climbs Wake Forest Charts
Helped by an experienced back line of lockdown defenders, goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe has kept six clean sheets through the Deacons' first nine games and her 0.44 goals against average is the second-best in the ACC and 13th-best nationally.
Bledsoe's six shutouts less than halfway through the season already rank her sixth on the Wake Forest single-season charts and career charts. In contrast, the Deacs kept only four clean sheets all of last season.
Keep the Streak Alive Against NC State
The Demon Deacons are currently riding a 14-match unbeaten streak against NC State dating back to 1998, their unbeaten streak against a single opponent in program history. Of those 14 games, 13 of them have been Wake Forest wins, with the Wolfpack's lone result during the streak coming in a 1-1 tie in 2002.
Wake Forest survived a scare from NC State last season as the Pack took the game to overtime at Spry Stadium before Jackie Logue scored the game-winner eight minutes into the extra frame.
Scouting the Wolfpack
NC State holds a solid 8-2-0 mark so far this season, though the Wolfpack dropped its ACC opener to North Carolina 5-1 last week. The Pack's best wins of the year have come against LSU and VCU.
Stephanie Bronson and Alex Berger have scored five goals apiece this season, with Bronson leading NC State with 12 points. Kim Kern has started every game in goal for the Pack, holding a 1.12 GAA and a .810 save percentage.
Scouting the Hurricanes
Miami enters the weekend with a 7-1-0 (1-0-0 ACC) record. The Canes are winners of seven straight after dropping their season opener to Florida, and last week won their ACC opener against Clemson in double-overtime. In fact, the Hurricanes have won their last three games in double OT, against Florida Gulf Coast, Clemson and Navy.
Kate Howarth has been the primary scorer for Miami this season, totalling seven goals and 17 points. Tara Schwitter has also chipped in four goals and nine points for the Canes. Viki Alonzo has started every game in net for Miami, holding a 0.78 goals against average and a .829 save percentage.
The Demon Deacons hold a 6-1-0 all-time record against Miami and have never lost to the Hurricanes at Spry Stadium.
What's Next?
Wake Forest will host its ACC rivals to the north, facing Virginia Tech on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. and Virginia on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. Both matches will take place at Spry Stadium.
The match against the Cavaliers will serve as the Deacons' Senior Day. Seniors Chelse Allen, Jordan Feger and Amanda Howell will be honored on the field before the match.
