Wake Forest University
13-4-0, 5-3-0
University of Louisville
9-4-3, 4-3-1
Three-Goal Second Half Fuels Wake Forest to 3-0 Victory Over No. 9 Louisville
10/28/2022 11:10:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Demon Deacons collected three goals over a 19-minute second half span while shutting out No. 9 Louisville.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest men's soccer team (13-4-0, 5-3-0 ACC) secured a first round bye in the 2022 ACC Tournament as the Demon Deacons defeated No. 9 Louisville (9-4-3, 4-2-1 ACC) by a final of 3-0 on Friday night at Spry Stadium.
After the team engaged in an energetic 0-0 battle through the first 45 minutes of action, the Deacs logged three second half goals from sophomores Baba Niang (60th minute), Roald Mitchell (67th minute) and Leo Guarino (78th minute).
Defensively, Wake Forest recorded its seventh clean sheet of the regular season and the third against an ACC foe.
Prior to the match, the program honored this year's senior class of Sebastian Scrivner, David Wrona, Cole McNally, Takuma Suzuki and Omar Hernandez. Together, the group has earned 55 victories over the last four years, highlighted by a trip to the 2019 College Cup.
Wake Forest will now turn its attention to postseason play and the ACC Tournament, as the Demon Deacons will await the winner of a first round matchup between Virginia Tech and Louisville.
That contest will be played next Sunday at 2 p.m. at Spry Stadium and be televised on ACC Network.
How It Happened
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Sophomore Baba Niang threatened for the Deacs in the sixth minute, streaking down the middle of the field before his shot went wide of the frame.
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Junior Prince Amponsah came up with a big defensive performance in the 16th minute with a block off of a Louisville corner kick.
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After Louisville was called for a handball outside of the 18-yard box in the 19th minute, sophomore Ryan Fessler attempted a direct free kick for Wake Forest that went over the crossbar.
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A 26th-minute breakthrough of the Cardinal backline saw sophomore Roald Mitchell get one-on-one with Louisville goalkeeper Ryan Troutman.
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Sophomore Trace Alphin recorded back-to-back saves in the 28th minute.
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Wake Forest created two chances inside the 18 in the 30th minute, first with a shot from freshman Cooper Flax that was blocked before Niang lifted a second try over the crossbar.
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The Demon Deacons finished the first with a 51-49 percent advantage in possession and outshot the Cardinals 9-6.
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Niang would get his fifth shot of the night and the Deacs' first of the second half in the 55th minute, but it rolled to the left of the frame.
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The Dakar, Senegal, native, would, however, get Wake Forest on the scoreboard in the 60th minute, collecting a pass from Mitchell to beat Troutman.
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The goal was the fourth of the season for Niang, extending a career best.
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Mitchell collected his fourth of the assist while Flax logged his fifth assist as a freshman.
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The Deacs would double their lead just seven minutes later, this time with Mitchell putting home goal No. 7 of the season off a pass from redshirt sophomore Cristian Escribano.
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The goal marked Mitchell's team-best seventh goal this season and his first since recording a brace in a 3-2 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Sept. 13.
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Escribano assist was his second of the campaign while senior David Wrona tallied his second of the year, setting a new single-season career-high.
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Wake Forest extended its lead to 3-0 in the 79th minute, as sophomore Leo Guarino finished off a corner kick with a spectacular bicycle kick that wowed a crowd of more than 2,000 fans.
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The score began off of a corner kick from senior Omar Hernandez, who found fellow senior Takuma Suzuki before connecting with Guarino.
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Both seniors logged their second assists of the season while put home his fifth goal.
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In total, 20 Demon Deacons helped seal the victory with all five seniors logging minutes.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
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With the victory, Wake Forest earned a winning record in ACC play for the 25th time in the program's 42-year history and for the 17th consecutive season.
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The Demon Deacons also reached a double-digit home win total for the seventh time in the last eight seasons and have collected 93 home victories since the start of the 2015 season – most in the country during that span (Indiana 72).
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Wake Forest is the only program in the country this season with 10 home wins.
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Wake Forest also has recorded 128 total victories since the beginning of the 2015 campaign, 15 more than any other NCAA Division I men's soccer program.
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Wake Forest is also tied for the most wins in the country this season, joined by No. 1 Washington and No. 20 Vermont.
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The victory was also Wake Forest's 48th in ACC regular season play over the last eight seasons, nine more than any other league member.
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The Demon Deacons now lead the all-time series against the Cardinals 12-4-0 and are 8-2-0 in matches at Spry Stadium against Louisville.
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Redshirt sophomore Cristian Escribano earned his 30th career start.
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Sophomore Ryan Fessler earned his 15th career start.
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Freshman Cooper Flax earned his 10th career start.
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Senior Omar Hernandez made his 70th career appearance.
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Senior Takuma Suzuki made his 60th career appearance.
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Junior Prince Amponsah made his 50th career appearance.
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Junior Sidney Paris made his 40th career appearance and 16th at Wake Forest.
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Sophomore Leo Guarino made his 30th career appearance.
From Coach Muuss
"I said if you scripted a Senior Day, obviously No. 1 we want to get a result and that was the most important thing. Then to have all these guys on the field for the last regular season game at Spry Soccer Stadium for the careers that they've had and what they've meant to me personally, my family and this program, that's storybook in a lot of ways. You don't get an opportunity like that. So, I'm proud of these guys. I call them COVID babies in that they came in, they had a great year and then they had to experience a lot of setbacks. When the chips were down, they kept believing. They stayed positive. They've been my confidants throughout and for that I owe them the world. So, it's a perfect night for me." - Bobby Muuss
Up Next
Wake Forest will now await the winner of the first round match between No. 12 Virginia Tech and No. 5 Louisville for a match next Sunday at Spry Stadium.
Team Stats
Babacar Niang (4)
Assisted By: Roald Mitchell , Cooper Flax
GOAL by WFU Niang, Babacar Assist by Mitchell, Roald and Flax, Cooper.
59:20
Roald Mitchell (7)
Assisted By: Cristian Escribano , David Wrona
GOAL by WFU Mitchell, Roald Assist by Escribano, Cristian and Wrona, David.
66:00
Leo Guarino (5)
Assisted By: Takuma Suzuki , Omar Hernandez
GOAL by WFU Guarino, Leo Assist by Suzuki, Takuma and Hernandez, Omar.
78:17
