Wake Forest University
Duke
Deacons and Blue Devils Tie 2-2 after Wild Finish
10/25/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 25, 2013
Final Stats | Final Stats (PDF)
By Steven Wright, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMSoccer)
DURHAM, N.C. - No. 15 Wake Forest went up 2-0 on a goal by Luca Gimenez in the 86th minute, but Duke struck once in the 87th minute and again in the 88th minute, as the Demon Deacons and the Blue Devils played to a 2-2 tie on Friday night at Koskinen Stadium.
Gimenez scored his goal on a cross from Ian Harkes at the 85:34 mark to put the Demon Deacons up 2-0. Just 43 seconds later, Will Donovan scored on a corner kick to cut the lead in half, and 44 seconds after that Luis Rendon put home a cross to tie the game.
Each team took three shots in the two overtime periods, but the game would end in a 2-2 tie.
The Demon Deacons go to 8-3-5 overall and remain unbeaten in the ACC at 5-0-4. With 19 points in the league, Wake Forest is currently alone in first place. Notre Dame, who is 5-0-3 in the ACC with 18 points, hosts Virginia tomorrow night. Duke moves to 6-4-6 overall and 1-3-5 in the ACC.
Gimenez and Sean Okoli each ended up with a goal on the night for Wake Forest. Ian Harkes dished out two assists, while Sam Fink had one. Okoli and Gimenez are the top scorers on the team this year with seven and six goals, respectively. Harkes now has a team-best seven assists on the year, and the assist for Fink was his first of the season.
Wake Forest got on the board first in the 21st minute on a nice set piece. After a foul along the right side, Harkes played a ball to the back post. Fink was there to head it back into the middle, and Okoli found the back of the net to give the Deacs a 1-0 advantage.
Chances were few and far between throughout the rest of the first half, as the Demon Deacons outshot the Blue Devils 4-3 before the break.
Wake Forest held on to a 1-0 lead throughout the majority of the second half as well before the final flurry. At the 83:40 mark Duke found the back of the net, but the goal was called off due to a foul. Gimenez appeared to have captured the momentum for the Deacs with his goal to make it 2-0 before the Blue Devils made their furious comeback.
Wake Forest will have the midweek off and will play Notre Dame next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Spry Stadium.
