Thursday, October 5
Syracuse, NY
6:00 P.M.
Wake Forest University
at
Syracuse
No. 17 Wake Forest Travels to Face Syracuse Thursday on ACC Network
10/4/2023 12:12:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Demon Deacons are 7-2-1 against the Orange all-time.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Currently boasting a two-match winning streak, the 17th-ranked Wake Forest women's soccer team will travel to Syracuse to take on the Orange Thursday at SU Soccer Stadium.
Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. ET, and the match will be streamed on ACC Network.
Need to Know - Game 12
No. 17 Wake Forest (8-1-2, 2-1-1 ACC) at Syracuse (2-9-1, 0-4-0 ACC)
Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 - 6:00 p.m. ET - ACCN
Syracuse, N.Y. - SU Soccer Stadium
Deacs vs. Orange
ACC Standings (Top Six)
Defensive Player of the Week
After anchoring Wake Forest's back line to its seventh clean sheet of the season, junior defender Laurel Ansbrow was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week by the league office Tuesday.
With the nod, Ansbrow became the first Demon Deacon to be tabbed ACC Defensive Player of the Week since Kaitlyn Parks garnered honors during the spring 2021 campaign.
In Friday's shutout against Virginia Tech, Ansbrow and the Demon Deacons' back line held the Hokies to a season-low zero shots on goal. Additionally, the Deacs held Virginia Tech to only three total shot attempts – which marked the fewest the Hokies had attempted since Oct. 9, 2020 against Duke.
Dynamic Duo
Wake Forest has been led by sophomore forward Caiya Hanks, as she's tallied six goals this season – which ranks third in the ACC.
Junior midfielder Nikayla Small has also had an excellent 2023 campaign, as she leads the ACC in assists with seven.
Stout Defense
Wake Forest currently leads the ACC and ranks 22nd nationally with a .545 GAA through its first 11 matches.
Goals-Against-Average (ACC)
National Recognition
Wake Forest came in at No. 17 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, marking the Demon Deacons' highest ranking since Oct. 19, 2017.
Shots on Target
The Demon Deacons have attempted 18.18 shots per game this season, which ranks fifth in the ACC and 17th nationally. Additionally, the Deacs rank fourth in the ACC in shots on goal per game with 7.82.
Last Time Out (Virginia Tech)
Wake Forest earned its second-consecutive clean sheet Friday, as the Deacs defeated Virginia Tech, 2-0, at Thompson Field.
With the win, the Demon Deacons improved to 8-1-2 and 2-1-1 in ACC play this season.
After a tightly contested opening 59 minutes of play, the Demon Deacons scored in the 60th minute, as junior midfielder Malaika Meena fired a shot that ricocheted off the crossbar to sophomore forward Caiya Hanks. On the rebound, Hanks headed home her team-high sixth goal of the season to give the Deacs a 1-0 lead.
With just over six minutes left, junior forward Emily Murphy broke free down the pitch and scored her fourth tally of the season to extend Wake Forest's lead to 2-0.
The Demon Deacons held a heavy advantage in shots (11-3) and shots-on-goal (9-0) Friday, despite the Hokies holding the slight edge in possession (52 percent) and corners (8-7).
Individually, Hanks led the Deacs with five shots and four on-goal, while Meena and Murphy recorded two shots each.
Like most of the season, the strong back line of junior's Kristin Johnson, Laurel Ansbrow, Zara Chavoshi and freshman Dempsey Brown, played the full 90 minutes in the clean sheet victory in front of junior goalkeeper Payton Cahill.
Syracuse Breakdown
Series History (Wake Forest vs. Syracuse)
Up Next
After Thursday's matchup with Syracuse, the Demon Deacons will travel to face Pitt on Sunday (Oct. 8).
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
Kickoff is slated for 6:00 p.m. ET, and the match will be streamed on ACC Network.
Need to Know - Game 12
No. 17 Wake Forest (8-1-2, 2-1-1 ACC) at Syracuse (2-9-1, 0-4-0 ACC)
Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 - 6:00 p.m. ET - ACCN
Syracuse, N.Y. - SU Soccer Stadium
Deacs vs. Orange
- The No. 17-ranked Demon Deacons come into Thursday's match on the back of a 2-0 road win over Virginia Tech.
- The victory brought the Deacs' ACC points tally to seven, good for fifth in the conference.
- A win will match the Deacs' points tally from last season (10) in five less matches.
- The victory brought the Deacs' ACC points tally to seven, good for fifth in the conference.
- The Orange are coming off a 5-1 loss at Clemson on Saturday and are seeking their first ACC win.
ACC Standings (Top Six)
| Rank | Team | Points | Record | Streak |
| 1. | No. 2 Florida State | 10 | 8-0-1, 3-0-1 ACC | W1 |
| 2. | No. 1 North Carolina | 10 | 8-0-4, 3-0-1 ACC | W1 |
| 3. | No. 11 Notre Dame | 10 | 7-1-3, 3-0-1 ACC | W1 |
| 4. | No. 9 Clemson | 9 | 9-1-2, 3-1 ACC | W3 |
| 5. | No. 17 Wake Forest | 7 | 8-1-2, 2-1-1 ACC | W2 |
| 6. | RV Pitt | 7 | 9-2-1, 2-1-1 ACC | W1 |
Defensive Player of the Week
After anchoring Wake Forest's back line to its seventh clean sheet of the season, junior defender Laurel Ansbrow was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week by the league office Tuesday.
With the nod, Ansbrow became the first Demon Deacon to be tabbed ACC Defensive Player of the Week since Kaitlyn Parks garnered honors during the spring 2021 campaign.
In Friday's shutout against Virginia Tech, Ansbrow and the Demon Deacons' back line held the Hokies to a season-low zero shots on goal. Additionally, the Deacs held Virginia Tech to only three total shot attempts – which marked the fewest the Hokies had attempted since Oct. 9, 2020 against Duke.
Dynamic Duo
Wake Forest has been led by sophomore forward Caiya Hanks, as she's tallied six goals this season – which ranks third in the ACC.
Junior midfielder Nikayla Small has also had an excellent 2023 campaign, as she leads the ACC in assists with seven.
Stout Defense
Wake Forest currently leads the ACC and ranks 22nd nationally with a .545 GAA through its first 11 matches.
Goals-Against-Average (ACC)
| Rank | Team | GAA |
| 1. | Wake Forest | .545 |
| 2. | Clemson | .583 |
| North Carolina | .583 | |
| 4. | Virginia | .636 |
| 5. | Virginia Tech | .750 |
National Recognition
Wake Forest came in at No. 17 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, marking the Demon Deacons' highest ranking since Oct. 19, 2017.
Shots on Target
The Demon Deacons have attempted 18.18 shots per game this season, which ranks fifth in the ACC and 17th nationally. Additionally, the Deacs rank fourth in the ACC in shots on goal per game with 7.82.
Last Time Out (Virginia Tech)
Wake Forest earned its second-consecutive clean sheet Friday, as the Deacs defeated Virginia Tech, 2-0, at Thompson Field.
With the win, the Demon Deacons improved to 8-1-2 and 2-1-1 in ACC play this season.
After a tightly contested opening 59 minutes of play, the Demon Deacons scored in the 60th minute, as junior midfielder Malaika Meena fired a shot that ricocheted off the crossbar to sophomore forward Caiya Hanks. On the rebound, Hanks headed home her team-high sixth goal of the season to give the Deacs a 1-0 lead.
With just over six minutes left, junior forward Emily Murphy broke free down the pitch and scored her fourth tally of the season to extend Wake Forest's lead to 2-0.
The Demon Deacons held a heavy advantage in shots (11-3) and shots-on-goal (9-0) Friday, despite the Hokies holding the slight edge in possession (52 percent) and corners (8-7).
Individually, Hanks led the Deacs with five shots and four on-goal, while Meena and Murphy recorded two shots each.
Like most of the season, the strong back line of junior's Kristin Johnson, Laurel Ansbrow, Zara Chavoshi and freshman Dempsey Brown, played the full 90 minutes in the clean sheet victory in front of junior goalkeeper Payton Cahill.
Syracuse Breakdown
- Syracuse heads into the match as one of two teams in the ACC without a point so far this season (Boston College).
- Offensively, the Orange are led by redshirt sophomore forward Erin Flurey.
- The New Hampshire native has scored (four) or assisted (two) on half of the Orange's 12 goals this season.
- She has scored three goals in the last five matches, including one in the team's last match against Clemson on Saturday,
- The New Hampshire native has scored (four) or assisted (two) on half of the Orange's 12 goals this season.
- In goal, sophomore Shea Vanderbosch has started and played every minute of Syracuse's 12 matches so far this season.
- She leads the ACC in saves per-game (6.25) and total saves (75).
Series History (Wake Forest vs. Syracuse)
- Wake Forest is 7-2-1 against Syracuse all-time, including a 3-2-0 mark in Syracuse.
- The Deacs have won five of the last six meetings, outscoring the Orange 12-4 during that span.
- Of the 10 all-time meetings between the two sides, Wake Forest earned shutouts in seven of them and have only allowed five goals.
- Last season, Wake Forest defeated Syracuse, 2-0, in Winston-Salem.
- Junior midfielder Emily Morris opened the scoring in the 55th minute before now-San Diego Wave midfielder Giovanna Demarco doubled the lead in the 64th.
- The last time the two teams met in Syracuse was in 2021, when the Deacs notched a 2-0 victory.
- Defender Zara Cavoshi picked up her first career assist in the win.
Up Next
After Thursday's matchup with Syracuse, the Demon Deacons will travel to face Pitt on Sunday (Oct. 8).
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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