Wake Forest University
Florida International
Deacs Hold Off Florida International 3-2
8/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Final Stats | Final Stats (PDF) 
By Andrew Wilson, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMSoccer)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest men's soccer team held off a late charge from Florida International on Sunday night at Spry Stadium, topping the Panthers 3-2 to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
Though FIU scored the first goal of the contest in the 10th minute when Thibault Civalier put home a rebound off the initial header by Marvin Hezel that went off the post, Wake Forest scored three-straight goals to take a 3-1 lead it would not relinquish.
The first Demon Deacon goal came in the 25th minute on a laser of a shot by Michael Gamble that beat the goalkeeper and found the top-right corner of goal. Gamble took a pass from Brad Dunwell just inside the top-left side of the box and fired to the far corner for the equalizer.
Wake Forest took a 2-1 lead into halftime when Kevin Politz picked up a loose ball in the mouth of goal and buried his attempt. The goal, which came as a result of a corner kick, was scored thanks largely to an error by FIU goalkeeper Arthur Clapot. Clapot came off his line to catch the ball, but he fumbled the catch and the ball came down to Politz just yards from the goal line.
Freshman Jack Harrison capped off the Wake Forest scoring with the first game-winning goal of his career in the 50th minute. He took a through ball in the middle of the field and beat three defenders before taking his shot toward the right post from the penalty spot to give Wake Forest a 3-1 lead.
Though FIU cut the lead to just one in the 73rd minute on a goal from Paul Marie, Marie would later be issued a red card for a tough challenge on Wake Forest keeper Alec Ferrell, forcing FIU to play with 10 men for the remaining 7:43 of the contest. That all but squashed the Panthers' hopes of completing the comeback, as Wake Forest played keepaway for a majority of the final seven-plus minutes.
Overall, the Demon Deacons narrowly outshot FIU 9-8, but FIU mustered seven corner kicks to Wake Forest's four. Ferrell played the entire 90 minutes between the pipes for the Deacs, making one save in the game.
Wake Forest returns to action next Saturday night, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. against Florida Gulf Coast. The game is the third of a four-match homestand to open the season. The homestand will conclude Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Spry Stadium against UNCA.
