Friday, October 27
Louisville, Ky.
7:00 PM
Wake Forest University
11-1-5, 4-1-3
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Louisville
9-4-3, 2-4-2
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Wake Forest
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Louisville
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ACC Atlantic Division Champions! Wake Forest Men’s Soccer Claims Fifth Division Title in Nine Seasons
10/27/2023 10:36:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Demon Deacons went unbeaten in their final seven ACC matches of the regular season.
LOUISVILLE, KY. -- For the fifth time in the last nine seasons, Wake Forest men's soccer (11-1-5, 4-1-3 ACC) has claimed the ACC's Atlantic Division title as the Demon Deacons earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Louisville (9-3-3, 2-4-2 ACC) on Friday night at the Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium.
The result secures the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament, as Wake Forest has earned a first-round bye and will host a quarterfinals match at Spry Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 5.
After dropping the ACC opener at current No. 20 Pitt last month, the Deacs have earned 15 points in their last six matches. Overall, the Deacs are undefeated in 12-straight matches dating back to a 4-0 victory over Gardner-Webb on Sept. 12.
After 25-plus minutes of controlling the play, the Demon Deacons took the lead in the 27th minute after Roald Mitchell's attempt fell into the path of Jahlane Forbes, who fired it home for his fourth goal of the season.
Louisville took the lead after goals from Bradley Sample and Gaetano D'Argento in the 28th and 35th minutes, respectively, and went into halftime ahead 2-1.
The Demon Deacons came out firing in the second half, however, until a well-deserved equalizer finally came in the 80th minute courtesy of Hosei Kijima. The senior received a pass from Cooper Flax and fired a shot from just outside the box, which beat the Louisville keeper and found the bottom-left corner of the net. Of note, the Demon Deacons remain unbeaten (14-0-1) when Kijima records a goal contribution.
Despite sharing the points, the Deacs dominated in shots (18-to-4), shots on-goal (9-to-2) and controlled 60 percent of the possession through the 90 minutes.
Individually, Kijima led the team with five shots (three on-goal) followed by Mitchell with three. Forbes, O'Gara and Oliver recorded two shots apiece.
The Division Crown Returns To Winston-Salem
Since the ACC's current conference format was unveiled in 2014, Wake Forest has now won five Atlantic Division titles: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023.
Wake Forest's five division titles are most in the ACC over the last 10 seasons:
During the fall portion of the 2020-21 season, the Deacs also finished in first place of the one-time South Region.
Unbeaten Streak Reaches 12-Straight
Following the Deacs' lone regular season loss to the Pitt Panthers on Sept. 9, Wake Forest has gone 10-0-2 over its last 12 appearances on the pitch including victories over No. 14 North Carolina, Clemson, Boston College and NC State along with draws against the 2022 NCAA National Champions Syracuse and 2023 ACC Coastal Division Champions Notre Dame.
Over this 12-match unbeaten run, the Deacs have recorded six clean sheets and outscored opponents a combined 27-7.
Additionally, Wake Forest has won its last four matches away from Spry Stadium. The four-match road winning streak is longest in the ACC and is tied for the second-longest nationally.
How It Happened
"I am very proud of the group. I thought we started the match well, but our mistakes turned into Louisville goals. The boys responded and had a great second half and found a way to get a result. The guys worked to the very last second and created several opportunities to push to win the game. I am so happy for this group to win their first trophy. No one is more deserving. I am humbled and blessed to get to coach them. We are going to enjoy this now but we know we have a lot of work to do."
Up Next
Wake Forest will now await the winner of No. 7 seed North Carolina vs. No. 10 seed Virginia Tech match played on Wednesday.
The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5 and will air nationally on the ACC Network.
The result secures the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament, as Wake Forest has earned a first-round bye and will host a quarterfinals match at Spry Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 5.
After dropping the ACC opener at current No. 20 Pitt last month, the Deacs have earned 15 points in their last six matches. Overall, the Deacs are undefeated in 12-straight matches dating back to a 4-0 victory over Gardner-Webb on Sept. 12.
After 25-plus minutes of controlling the play, the Demon Deacons took the lead in the 27th minute after Roald Mitchell's attempt fell into the path of Jahlane Forbes, who fired it home for his fourth goal of the season.
Louisville took the lead after goals from Bradley Sample and Gaetano D'Argento in the 28th and 35th minutes, respectively, and went into halftime ahead 2-1.
The Demon Deacons came out firing in the second half, however, until a well-deserved equalizer finally came in the 80th minute courtesy of Hosei Kijima. The senior received a pass from Cooper Flax and fired a shot from just outside the box, which beat the Louisville keeper and found the bottom-left corner of the net. Of note, the Demon Deacons remain unbeaten (14-0-1) when Kijima records a goal contribution.
Despite sharing the points, the Deacs dominated in shots (18-to-4), shots on-goal (9-to-2) and controlled 60 percent of the possession through the 90 minutes.
Individually, Kijima led the team with five shots (three on-goal) followed by Mitchell with three. Forbes, O'Gara and Oliver recorded two shots apiece.
The Division Crown Returns To Winston-Salem
Since the ACC's current conference format was unveiled in 2014, Wake Forest has now won five Atlantic Division titles: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023.
Wake Forest's five division titles are most in the ACC over the last 10 seasons:
| School | ACC Division Titles |
| Wake Forest | 5 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023) |
| North Carolina | 4 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) |
| Clemson | 4 (2014, 2019, 2020, 2021) |
| Syracuse | 2 (2014, 2022) |
| Duke | 2 (2021, 2022) |
| Notre Dame | 2 (2014, 2023) |
| Louisville | 1 (2021) |
| Pitt | 1 (2020) |
| Virginia | 1 (2019) |
Unbeaten Streak Reaches 12-Straight
Following the Deacs' lone regular season loss to the Pitt Panthers on Sept. 9, Wake Forest has gone 10-0-2 over its last 12 appearances on the pitch including victories over No. 14 North Carolina, Clemson, Boston College and NC State along with draws against the 2022 NCAA National Champions Syracuse and 2023 ACC Coastal Division Champions Notre Dame.
Over this 12-match unbeaten run, the Deacs have recorded six clean sheets and outscored opponents a combined 27-7.
Additionally, Wake Forest has won its last four matches away from Spry Stadium. The four-match road winning streak is longest in the ACC and is tied for the second-longest nationally.
How It Happened
- Wake Forest registered the first shot of the night in the fifth minute, as Roald Mitchell dribbled into the 18 before the chance he created went wide.
- Hosei Kijima collected a shot from distance in the eighth minute that hit the post.
- Mitchell nearly got the Deacs on the board in the 25th minute, as the junior possessed a pass from Jahlane Forbes before his attempt was saved by an extending Louisville keeper.
- Forbes would give Wake Forest a 1-0 in the 27th minute, collecting a ball that hit off the post from Mitchell for his fourth goal of the season.
- Louisville, however, responded just one minute later to tie it 1-1 before a deflected ball gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the 35th.
- Wake Forest finished the first half with a 12-2 advantage in shots.
- The Deacs had a near equalizer on two attempts in the 59th minute, as both Forbes and Kijima had attempts saved within seconds of each other.
- Kijima would tie the match in the 81st, collecting a pass from Cooper Flax before beating the Louisville keeper to the bottom right of the frame.
- The Demon Deacons earned a corner kick in the 85th minute, but were unable to connect as the match remained level.
- Escribano fired a shot in the 88th minute that was blocked behind for another Wake Forest corner.
- Swallen launched an attempt from distance in the 89th minute, but his shot was hauled in by the Louisville keeper.
- The Deacs had one final chance as they won a corner with just seconds remaining.
- Cristian Escribano earned his 45th career start.
- Bo Cummins earned his 15th career start.
- Garrison Tubbs made his 70th career appearance.
- Chase Oliver made his 65th career appearance.
- Julian Kennedy made his 50th career appearance.
- The draw was the first-ever between Wake Forest and Louisville, as the Demon Deacons now lead the all-time series 12-4-1 and are 4-2-1 in matches played on the road against the Cardinals.
- The five draws this season are tied for the most in a single season in program history with the 1999, 2011, 2012 and 2013 teams.
- Kijima tallied the ninth goal of his career and third of his senior campaign.
- Wake Forest is unbeaten (14-0-1) when the senior records either a goal or an assist over the last four seasons.
- Forbes' goal was his fourth of the season and sixth of his career.
- He is second on the team in points this season (15) and has now surpassed the 30-point mark for his career with 31 (seven goals, 19 assists).
- With his assist on Kijima's goal, Flax now has three on the year and eight for his career.
- He now has seven points on the season, which equaled his total from his freshman campaign a year ago.
"I am very proud of the group. I thought we started the match well, but our mistakes turned into Louisville goals. The boys responded and had a great second half and found a way to get a result. The guys worked to the very last second and created several opportunities to push to win the game. I am so happy for this group to win their first trophy. No one is more deserving. I am humbled and blessed to get to coach them. We are going to enjoy this now but we know we have a lot of work to do."
Up Next
Wake Forest will now await the winner of No. 7 seed North Carolina vs. No. 10 seed Virginia Tech match played on Wednesday.
The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5 and will air nationally on the ACC Network.
Team Stats
WFU
LOU
Goals
2
2
Shots
18
4
Shots on Goal
9
2
Saves
0
7
Corners
7
1
Fouls
8
21
Scoring Plays
Jahlane Forbes (4)
Assisted By: Roald Mitchell
GOAL by WFU Forbes, Jahlane Assist by Mitchell, Roald.
26:23
Bradley Sample (1)
Assisted By: Brandon McManus , Sander Roed
GOAL by LOU Sample, Bradley Assist by McManus, Brandon and Roed, Sander.
27:59
Gaetano D'Argento (1)
Assisted By: Sander Roed , David Boccuzzo
GOAL by LOU D'Argento, Gaetano Assist by Roed, Sander and Boccuzzo, David.
34:09
Hosei Kijima (3)
Assisted By: Cooper Flax
GOAL by WFU Kijima, Hosei Assist by Flax, Cooper.
80:00
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's SoccerForward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
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