Saturday, October 14
Winston-Salem, N.C.
7:00 PM
Wake Forest University
10-1-3, 4-1-1
1
vs
0
North Carolina
6-2-4, 1-2-3
1
2
F
North Carolina
0
0
0
Wake Forest
0
1
1
Photo by: Eric Roth
No. 4 Wake Forest Downs No. 14 North Carolina, 1-0, in Annual Genna Wiley Memorial Match
10/14/2023 9:57:00 PM | Men's Soccer
With the victory, the Demon Deacons improved to 19-3-3 overall all-time against Big Four opponents under head coach Bobby Muuss.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Behind a 51st minute strike from junior forward Roald Mitchell, the No. 4-ranked Wake Forest men's soccer team earned a 1-0 victory over No. 14 North Carolina Saturday evening at Spry Stadium.
Following a back-and-forth battle over the opening 45 minutes, the Demon Deacons (10-1-3, 4-1-1 ACC) found the opener just over five minutes into the second half, as junior midfielder Baba Niang played a low-cross to Mitchell, who slotted home his 20th-career goal.
The goal tied Mitchell with Henry Riggs-Miller for 19th-most in program history. Additionally, it was his team-high eighth goal of the campaign, while Niang picked up his second assist.
Wake Forest had a 10-7 advantage in shots, including a 7-2 edge on shots on-goal, while North Carolina (6-2-4, 1-2-3 ACC) controlled 54 percent of possession and held a slight 4-3 edge on corners.
Individually, Mitchell, along with sophomore midfielder Cooper Flax and redshirt senior midfielder Jake Swallen, tallied two shots apiece. Junior goalkeeper Trace Alphin recorded two saves en route to his fifth individual clean sheet of the season and 15th overall.
With the shutout, the Demon Deacons have now recorded four-straight clean sheets in ACC play and have not conceded a goal to a conference foe in 448 consecutive minutes.
Additionally, with four-straight shutouts overall, the Deacs are currently in their longest streak without allowing a goal since going six-straight matches without letting up a goal from Oct. 10-Nov. 5, 2017.
With the victory, Wake Forest remains in first place in the ACC Atlantic Division with two conference matches remaining. The Deacs' 13 points paces the division, followed by Clemson's nine points and Syracuse's eight points with those programs meeting on Sunday at SU Soccer Stadium.
With back-to-back victories against NC State and North Carolina, Wake Forest is also now 19-3-3 overall all-time against Big Four opponents under head coach Bobby Muuss.
Additionally, Wake Forest extended its win-streak to seven games, which is the second-longest active longest win-streak in the nation behind only No. 1 Marshall (11 wins)
The match served as the program's annual Genna Wiley Memorial Match as the Demon Deacons wore special pink Nike jerseys with proceeds raised going to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Cancer Health Equity Patient Care Fund, which provides free mammograms for women in need The wife of former men's soccer athletic trainer Steve Wiley, Genna, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer three days after Wake Forest won the 2007 NCAA National Championship.
Bidding remains open through the end of the day Saturday.
Wake Forest will continue a two-week long stretch of home action with the team's final non-conference match of the regular season on Tuesday night against Robert Morris.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Double-Digit Streak of Double-Digit Winning Seasons
Now winners of seven-straight matches dating back to a 3-1 victory over Liberty last month, Wake Forest has reached 10 wins on the season. This marks the 12th-straight year the Deacs have earned a double-digit win total.
Under head coach Bobby Muuss, Wake Forest is currently the only program to earn 10 or more wins each season since 2015. Indiana, currently at five wins in 2023, is the only other program to achieve 10 wins or more each season from 2015-22.
The Deacs also became the first ACC program in 2023 to reach 10 wins and the fifth program overall, joining Marshall, Cal State Fullerton, Bryant and SIUE.
Senior Class Reaches 50 Wins
With tonight's victory, this year's senior class becomes just the third program to reach 50 wins over the last four seasons, joining only Clemson and Washington to reach this mark.
Over the last four years, the Demon Deacons have earned a 50-17-6 record with 36 of those victories coming at Spry Stadium to extend Wake Forest's nationally-best mark of 101 victories at home since the beginning of the 2015 season.
This senior class — which will be honored prior to the start of next week's match against current No. 8 Notre Dame — has also pushed the Deacs' ACC-best NCAA Tournament appearances streak to 12-straight years.
Success Against The Big Four
With back-to-back ACC victories against NC State and No. 14 North Carolina, Wake Forest is now a combined 19-3-3 against the Big Four in the Bobby Muuss era and 9-1-1 playing those three schools at Spry.
Against the Tar Heels since 2015, Wake Forest is 6-1-0 with five of those victories coming against a ranked North Carolina side.
How It Happened
Demon Deacon Details of Note
From Coach Muuss
"It was a tale of two halves. North Carolina was very good in the second half, and we were pretty good in the first half. We scored a good goal. Trace made a big time save in the first half off of a turnover, and North Carolina's keeper made a huge save in the second half to keep it 1-0. Overall, we did a really good job of box-defending and breaking their press. We got three points at home, and that was the goal at the beginning of the night."
Up Next
Wake Forest will continue a four-match homestand on Tuesday night, facing Robert Morris for the first time in 30 years.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Following a back-and-forth battle over the opening 45 minutes, the Demon Deacons (10-1-3, 4-1-1 ACC) found the opener just over five minutes into the second half, as junior midfielder Baba Niang played a low-cross to Mitchell, who slotted home his 20th-career goal.
The goal tied Mitchell with Henry Riggs-Miller for 19th-most in program history. Additionally, it was his team-high eighth goal of the campaign, while Niang picked up his second assist.
Wake Forest had a 10-7 advantage in shots, including a 7-2 edge on shots on-goal, while North Carolina (6-2-4, 1-2-3 ACC) controlled 54 percent of possession and held a slight 4-3 edge on corners.
Individually, Mitchell, along with sophomore midfielder Cooper Flax and redshirt senior midfielder Jake Swallen, tallied two shots apiece. Junior goalkeeper Trace Alphin recorded two saves en route to his fifth individual clean sheet of the season and 15th overall.
With the shutout, the Demon Deacons have now recorded four-straight clean sheets in ACC play and have not conceded a goal to a conference foe in 448 consecutive minutes.
Additionally, with four-straight shutouts overall, the Deacs are currently in their longest streak without allowing a goal since going six-straight matches without letting up a goal from Oct. 10-Nov. 5, 2017.
With the victory, Wake Forest remains in first place in the ACC Atlantic Division with two conference matches remaining. The Deacs' 13 points paces the division, followed by Clemson's nine points and Syracuse's eight points with those programs meeting on Sunday at SU Soccer Stadium.
With back-to-back victories against NC State and North Carolina, Wake Forest is also now 19-3-3 overall all-time against Big Four opponents under head coach Bobby Muuss.
Additionally, Wake Forest extended its win-streak to seven games, which is the second-longest active longest win-streak in the nation behind only No. 1 Marshall (11 wins)
The match served as the program's annual Genna Wiley Memorial Match as the Demon Deacons wore special pink Nike jerseys with proceeds raised going to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Cancer Health Equity Patient Care Fund, which provides free mammograms for women in need The wife of former men's soccer athletic trainer Steve Wiley, Genna, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer three days after Wake Forest won the 2007 NCAA National Championship.
Bidding remains open through the end of the day Saturday.
Wake Forest will continue a two-week long stretch of home action with the team's final non-conference match of the regular season on Tuesday night against Robert Morris.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Double-Digit Streak of Double-Digit Winning Seasons
Now winners of seven-straight matches dating back to a 3-1 victory over Liberty last month, Wake Forest has reached 10 wins on the season. This marks the 12th-straight year the Deacs have earned a double-digit win total.
Under head coach Bobby Muuss, Wake Forest is currently the only program to earn 10 or more wins each season since 2015. Indiana, currently at five wins in 2023, is the only other program to achieve 10 wins or more each season from 2015-22.
The Deacs also became the first ACC program in 2023 to reach 10 wins and the fifth program overall, joining Marshall, Cal State Fullerton, Bryant and SIUE.
Senior Class Reaches 50 Wins
With tonight's victory, this year's senior class becomes just the third program to reach 50 wins over the last four seasons, joining only Clemson and Washington to reach this mark.
Over the last four years, the Demon Deacons have earned a 50-17-6 record with 36 of those victories coming at Spry Stadium to extend Wake Forest's nationally-best mark of 101 victories at home since the beginning of the 2015 season.
This senior class — which will be honored prior to the start of next week's match against current No. 8 Notre Dame — has also pushed the Deacs' ACC-best NCAA Tournament appearances streak to 12-straight years.
Success Against The Big Four
With back-to-back ACC victories against NC State and No. 14 North Carolina, Wake Forest is now a combined 19-3-3 against the Big Four in the Bobby Muuss era and 9-1-1 playing those three schools at Spry.
Against the Tar Heels since 2015, Wake Forest is 6-1-0 with five of those victories coming against a ranked North Carolina side.
How It Happened
- The Demon Deacons' first shot attempt came in the second minute when Cooper Flax fired a shot from just outside the 18 that was saved by North Carolina's keeper, resulting in a Wake Forest corner.
- Prince Amponsah headed a shot that drifted wide left on the corner.
- The Deacs controlled possession over the ensuing seven minutes, before Bo Cummins blasted a shot from the right wing that was saved by the Tar Heels' keeper.
- Flax attempted his second shot of the contest in the 16th minute, but the attempt sailed just over the crossbar.
- Trace Alphin recorded back-to-back saves in the 22nd and 23rd minutes, respectively, to keep the ledger even.
- The Deacs came away with another near scoring opportunity minutes later as Vlad Walent sent a shot to the bottom right corner of the goal that was saved.
- At the 33:44 mark, Jake Swallen was fouled just outside the 18, resulting in a Wake Forest free kick.
- On the free kick, Swallen fired a shot that went just over the woodwork.
- The two sides entered the halftime break tied 0-0.
- The Demon Deacons held a 6-3 advantage in shots, while controlling 54 percent of possession.
- Individually, Flax led the Deacs with two shot attempts.
- The Demon Deacons held a 6-3 advantage in shots, while controlling 54 percent of possession.
- Just over five minutes into the second half, Roald Mitchell fired home his 20th-career goal after a low-cross from Niang to give the Deacs a 1-0 lead.
- The goal leveled Mitchell with Henry Riggs-Miller for 19th in program history.
- It also marked his team-high eighth goal of the season.
- Jahlane Forbes had another opportunity in the 66th minute but his shot was saved by the Tar Heels' keeper.
- Wake Forest controlled possession for the following 10 minutes, allowing only one shot.
- Mitchell almost doubled the advantage in the 79th minute, but the North Carolina keeper parried it behind for a Wake Forest corner.
- The Tar Heels continued to push for an equalizer over the final 10 minutes of action, but the Deacs held strong and allowed just one shot during that span.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
- Jahlane Forbes made his 65th career appearance.
- Jake Swallen made his 60th career appearance.
- Hosei Kijima made his 60th career appearance.
- Roald Mitchell made his 55th career appearance.
- Trace Alphin made his 50th career appearance.
- Cristian Escribano made his 45th career appearance.
- Roald Mitchell's goal was his eighth of the season and 20th of his career, equalling Henry Riggs-Miller for the 19th-most career goals in program history.
- Baba Niang's assist was his second of this campaign and fourth of his career.
- The victory marked the 16th all-time against the Tar Heels as the Deacs are now 16-23-10 against North Carolina dating back to the program's inaugural season in 1980.
- Wake Forest has now won 139 matches since the beginning of the 2015 season, 14 more than any other program (Indiana, 125).
- The victory was also Wake Forest's 101st at home since the 2015 opener, 22 more than any other program during that span (Indiana, 79).
- The Demon Deacons remain unbeaten at Spry Stadium this season, sporting a 7-0-2 record at home while outscoring opponents by a +16 margin.
From Coach Muuss
"It was a tale of two halves. North Carolina was very good in the second half, and we were pretty good in the first half. We scored a good goal. Trace made a big time save in the first half off of a turnover, and North Carolina's keeper made a huge save in the second half to keep it 1-0. Overall, we did a really good job of box-defending and breaking their press. We got three points at home, and that was the goal at the beginning of the night."
Up Next
Wake Forest will continue a four-match homestand on Tuesday night, facing Robert Morris for the first time in 30 years.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Team Stats
UNC
WFU
Goals
0
1
Shots
7
10
Shots on Goal
2
7
Saves
6
2
Corners
4
3
Fouls
14
20
Scoring Plays
Roald Mitchell (8)
Assisted By: Babacar Niang
GOAL by WFU Mitchell, Roald Assist by Niang, Babacar.
50:16
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's SoccerForward
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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