Friday, September 22
Winston-Salem, N.C.
6:00 PM
Wake Forest University
5-1-3, 1-1-1
1
vs
0
Clemson
5-3-1, 1-2-0
1
2
F
Clemson
0
0
0
Wake Forest
0
1
1
No. 14 Wake Forest Secures First ACC Win of Season in Shutout of Clemson
9/22/2023 8:56:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Trace Alphin stood tall defensively with four saves while Hosei Kijima netted the game-winning goal in the 53rd minute.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Behind a stout performance in goal from Trace Alphin and a 53rd-minute winner from Hosei Kijima, the No. 14 ranked Wake Forest men's soccer team (5-1-3, 1-1-1 ACC) closed out a four-match homestand with a 1-0 victory over Clemson (5-3-1, 1-2-0 ACC) on Friday night at Spry Stadium.
Wake Forest jumped out to the 1-0 lead after Clemson was assessed a red card when Jeffrey White was taken down on a breakaway in front of the Tigers' net. The free kick that the Deacs were awarded due to the Tiger infringement saw a Jake Swallen free kick deflect out to Hosei Kijima, who recorded the first goal of his senior campaign and the seventh of his career.
Including his pair of assists against Grand Canyon and his goal against Clemson, Wake Forest is now 13-0-0 when Kijima records a goal contribution over the last four seasons. Additionally, each of the last six goals the Yokohama, Japan, native has scored have been game winners.
Defensively, the Demon Deacons held Clemson scoreless for the first time this season as Trace Alphin collected four saves.
The Deacs and fellow North Carolina program Campbell will meet in Buies Creek for the first meeting between the sides in 32 years on Tuesday night.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will air on FloFC.
Strongest At Spry
Over the last nine seasons, Wake Forest has registered 99 home victories – most in the country by 21 wins.
Home Wins Since The Start Of The 2015 season
1. Wake Forest (99 home victories)
2. Indiana (78 home victories)
3. Kentucky (75 home victories)
Clemson (75 home victories)
5. Virginia (72 home victories)
Georgetown (72 home victories)
So far this season, Wake Forest is also 5-0-2 at home:
"Ultimately, we wanted to get three points and we did. The result trumped the performance tonight, because I don't think we could be overly happy with the 90-minute performance. I think there were points of that performance where I'm extremely proud of the guys, but we made that game a lot harder. Clemson also made that game a lot harder with their relentlessness, especially at the end being down a man late in the second half. I'm proud of the guys, we found a way to win. Good teams find ways to win even when they're not performing great. Also hats off to our support staff and operations crew as we had three different home events going on at Wake Forest tonight. We had an incredible crowd and it just shows how special our programs are in the community of Winston-Salem and I can't thank our students, our fans and the community enough for their support these last four games."
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will hit the road for a Tuesday night showdown with Campbell in the first meeting between the two North Carolina programs since Oct. 9, 1991.
Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. and the match will air on FloFC.
Wake Forest jumped out to the 1-0 lead after Clemson was assessed a red card when Jeffrey White was taken down on a breakaway in front of the Tigers' net. The free kick that the Deacs were awarded due to the Tiger infringement saw a Jake Swallen free kick deflect out to Hosei Kijima, who recorded the first goal of his senior campaign and the seventh of his career.
Including his pair of assists against Grand Canyon and his goal against Clemson, Wake Forest is now 13-0-0 when Kijima records a goal contribution over the last four seasons. Additionally, each of the last six goals the Yokohama, Japan, native has scored have been game winners.
Defensively, the Demon Deacons held Clemson scoreless for the first time this season as Trace Alphin collected four saves.
The Deacs and fellow North Carolina program Campbell will meet in Buies Creek for the first meeting between the sides in 32 years on Tuesday night.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will air on FloFC.
Strongest At Spry
Over the last nine seasons, Wake Forest has registered 99 home victories – most in the country by 21 wins.
Home Wins Since The Start Of The 2015 season
1. Wake Forest (99 home victories)
2. Indiana (78 home victories)
3. Kentucky (75 home victories)
Clemson (75 home victories)
5. Virginia (72 home victories)
Georgetown (72 home victories)
So far this season, Wake Forest is also 5-0-2 at home:
- Wake Forest 3, Grand Canyon 1 (Aug. 24)
- Wake Forest 1, Cal 1 (Aug. 27)
- Wake Forest 5, Furman 1 (Sept. 4)
- Wake Forest 4, Gardner-Webb 0 (Sept. 12)
- Wake Forest 1, No. 7 Syracuse 1 (Sept. 16)
- Wake Forest 3, Liberty 1 (Sept. 19)
- Wake Forest 1, Clemson 0 (Sept. 22)
- The Tigers recorded the first shot of the night in the fifth minute, as Ousmane Sylla let out an attempt outside of the 18 that was stopped by Trace Alphin.
- The save marked the 100th of Alphin's Wake Forest career.
- Wake Forest's first shot of the match came in the 21st minute, as Cooper Flax had an attempt that ended in the hands of Clemson keeper Joseph Andema.
- After being a 23rd-minute entrant into the match, Sidney Paris was fouled one minute later for a Demon Deacon free kick in a threatening spot. The ensuing free kick, however, was cleared out of the box by the Tigers.
- The Deacs earned a 42nd-minute free kick near the same spot, but Paris' in-swinging attempt was blocked.
- Wake Forest finished the first half with 53 percent possession.
- The Deacs recorded the first shot out of the break, as a corner from Jake Swallen found the head of Roald Mitchell but the Deacs were unable to break down Clemson.
- Clemson was assessed a red card in the 53rd minute, as Jeffrey White was taken down from behind on a breakaway.
- After a check on the spot from VAR, the Deacs were rewarded a free kick just outside of the 18 as Swallen's shot deflected off the wall and was saved by the Clemson keeper before Hosei Kijima one-timed the ball into the back of the net.
- The goal was the first of Kijima's senior campaign and the seventh of his Demon Deacon career.
- Alphin recorded his second save of the night in the 65th minute, stopping an attempt from Alex Meinhard who only had the Raleigh, N.C., native in front of him.
- His third save of the night came in the 78th, staying on his line as another attempt by Sylla did not trouble him.
- Alphin's best stop of the night came in the 81st as he fully extended to knock away a long-range attempt by Sylla.
- Jahlane Forbes earned his 50th career start in his 60th appearance for the Deacs.
- Colin Thomas earned his 30th career start.
- Jake Swallen made his 55th career appearance.
- Hosei Kijima made his 55th career appearance.
- Roald Mitchell made his 50th career appearance.
- Trace Alphin made his 45th career appearance.
- Cristian Escribano made his 40th career appearance.
- Including the fall portion of the 2020-21 split season, the Demon Deacons have earned 49 ACC regular season victories under head coach Bobby Muuss – 10 more than any other conference program.
- With the outcome, Wake Forest is now 26-21-8 all-time against the Tigers and 8-4-2 against Clemson under head coach Bobby Muuss.
- The victory marked the 99th at Spry Stadium under Muuss, extending the nation's best home win total over the last nine seasons.
- The victory was also the 134th overall over the last nine seasons, extending the best mark in the country by 12 victories (Indiana, 122).
- The victory was the first at home against Clemson since Oct. 30, 2020.
"Ultimately, we wanted to get three points and we did. The result trumped the performance tonight, because I don't think we could be overly happy with the 90-minute performance. I think there were points of that performance where I'm extremely proud of the guys, but we made that game a lot harder. Clemson also made that game a lot harder with their relentlessness, especially at the end being down a man late in the second half. I'm proud of the guys, we found a way to win. Good teams find ways to win even when they're not performing great. Also hats off to our support staff and operations crew as we had three different home events going on at Wake Forest tonight. We had an incredible crowd and it just shows how special our programs are in the community of Winston-Salem and I can't thank our students, our fans and the community enough for their support these last four games."
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will hit the road for a Tuesday night showdown with Campbell in the first meeting between the two North Carolina programs since Oct. 9, 1991.
Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. and the match will air on FloFC.
Team Stats
CLE
WFU
Goals
0
1
Shots
8
6
Shots on Goal
4
3
Saves
2
4
Corners
4
2
Fouls
9
18
Scoring Plays
Hosei Kijima (1)
GOAL by WFU Kijima, Hosei.
52:36
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's SoccerForward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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