Wake Forest Falls to Virginia Tech, 2-0

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Wake Forest women's soccer team (7-2-2, 1-2 ACC) dropped a 2-0 decision to Virginia Tech (8-2-1, 2-1 ACC) Sunday evening at Spry Stadium.

Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks recorded a season-high five saves, but strikes in the 40th minute and 66th minute from Virginia Tech proved to be the difference, as the Demon Deacons dropped their first home match of the 2022 campaign.

The Hokies took a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute when Sophie Maltese headed the ball into the net on a cross from Lauren Gogal. Virginia Tech continued to apply pressure offensively and scored again in the 66th minute to take a 2-0 lead.

Wake Forest had several near scoring opportunities over the final 24 minutes of action, but the Hokies held on to notch the 2-0 victory.

Wake Forest will return to action next Sunday (10/2) when the Demon Deacons host Syracuse. Kick-off is slated for 12 p.m., and the match will be broadcasted on ACC Network.

How It Happened

Caiya Hanks created the first chance of the game, whipping in a cross to Liv Stowell in the sixth minute but Stowell was ruled offside.
Virginia Tech registered the first two shots of the match in the seventh and 13th minute, neither of which called Parks into action.
The Demon Deacons had a chance to open the scoring in the 23rd, as Allie Schmidt was fouled at the edge of the box and was awarded a penalty.
- Hanks attempted the penalty kick and missed slightly left.
Emily Morris tested the Virginia Tech keeper for the first time in the 31st minute with a nice top-right-corner shot that went behind the goal for a corner.
With five minutes remaining in the first half, Maltese of Virginia Tech broke the deadlock with a header at the end of a Gogal cross.
Shots favored the Hokies, 5-2 (2-1 on goal), in the first half.
Virginia Tech was awarded a penalty of its own to start the second half, but Parks caught the penalty as she dove to her left to keep it a one-goal game.
- Parks was forced into another nice save a few minutes later on a shot from Natalie Mitchell.
Morris challenged the Virginia Tech keeper once again and forced a corner in the 58th minute.
The Hokies doubled their lead in the 66th minute, courtesy of Taylor Bryan.
Meena, Stowell and Hanks came close to cutting the lead in half with around 15 minutes left, but each shot just missed the target.
The final chance of the game fell to Liv Stowell in the 87th minute when she missed the target high.
Four of Parks' five saves came in the second half.

Demon Deacon Details of Note

Sunday's defeat marked the first home loss of the season for the Demon Deacons.
Parks tallied a season-high five saves in-goal for Wake Forest.
- Five saves are the most Parks has registered since Oct. 24, 2021, when she logged seven saves in a 2-1 victory over Pitt.
Sunday's contest marked Laurel Ansbrow's eighth game playing the full 90 this season.
- Ansbrow leads the team in outfield minutes played with 865.
Emily Morris recorded two shots on goal Sunday, tying Liv Stowell for the team-lead with 10.
Stowell has now attempted a shot in eight of the Demon Deacons 11 matches.
- Including Sunday's contest, the star forward has attempted a shot in three straight games.
Two goals scored on Sunday by Virginia Tech is tied for the most the Wake Forest defense has allowed this season.
Despite Sunday's 2-0 loss, Wake Forest owns a 21-6 goal advantage over its opponents this year.
With the loss, Wake Forest falls to 4-4-2 all-time in home matches against the Hokies.

Tony Time with Coach da Luz
"We played well enough to create chances, but we did not compete well enough to win. There were some good moments, and stretches, where we controlled the game in the first half. We didn't maintain it in the second half. Virginia Tech sustained their edge in physicality and eventually turned the game their way. We didn't match their intensity, losing too many 50/50 duels. We will learn from this game and respond next Sunday versus a very hungry Syracuse team." - head coach Tony da Luz

Up Next
Wake Forest will return to action next Sunday (10/2) when the Demon Deacons host Syracuse. Kick-off is slated for 12 p.m., and the match will be broadcasted on ACC Network.

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Team Stats

Caiya Hanks

Liv Stowell

Emily Morris

Giovanna DeMarco

Players Mentioned

Laurel Ansbrow

Caiya Hanks

Emily Morris

Allie Schmidt

Liv Stowell

Players Mentioned

Laurel Ansbrow

Caiya Hanks

Emily Morris

Allie Schmidt

Liv Stowell

Wake Forest Athletics