Sunday, September 24
Winston-Salem, N.C.
2:00 P.M.
Wake Forest University
7-1-2, 1-1-1
2
vs
0
#22 Virginia
5-2-3, 0-2-1
1
2
F
Virginia
0
0
0
Wake Forest
0
2
2
Second Half Magic Leads Wake Forest to Upset Win Over No. 22 Virginia
9/24/2023 5:14:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Head coach Tony da Luz earned his 300th-win at Wake Forest and his 100th ACC win.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Behind a pair of second half goals from junior midfielder Anna Swanson and sophomore forward Hannah Johnson, the Wake Forest women's soccer team stunned No. 22 Virginia, 2-0, Sunday evening at Spry Stadium.
The victory marked head coach Tony da Luz's 300th-win at Wake Forest, making him one of only four current ACC head coaches with 300+ wins at their respective programs. Additionally, Sunday's win marked his 100th ACC victory.
Of note, Sunday's upset marked the Demon Deacons' first ranked win since last season's 4-1 victory over No. 14 Clemson. The outcome also marked the Deacs' first win over Virginia since 2012.
After being engaged in a defensive battle for the first 77 minutes of play Sunday, the Demon Deacons took a 1-0 lead, as junior midfielder Nikayala Small cut inside on her right foot and forced a diving save from the Virginia keeper. Swanson then pounced on the rebound, firing a strike into the net for her first-career goal.
The Deacs extended their lead in the 89th minute as Johnson tapped in a goal on an assist from sophomore forward Caiya Hanks.
Wake Forest dominated throughout the contest, as the Deacs held a 19-8 (9-1 on-goal) shot advantage over the Cavaliers. Additionally, Wake Forest held 56 percent of the possession and earned six corners to Virginia's two.
Individually, Hanks led the team with four shots (two on goal) in addition to her fourth assist of the season, bringing her team-high points tally to 14. Junior midfielder Malaika Meena, Swanson and Small all fired three shots of their own.
Of note, junior goalkeeper Payton Cahill made her first-career start and appearance Sunday, leading the Deacs to their sixth clean sheet of the season.
How It Happened
Demon Deacon Details of Note
Standout Stats
Tony Time with Coach da Luz
"Today was a really special team performance. Maddy (Madison Howard) got injured in warm ups and Payton (Cahill) filled in without missing a beat. Our team pressure was relentless, our possession was solid and our attack was exceptional. Caiya (Hanks) was so dangerous throughout and central midfield (Abbie Colton and Dempsey Brown) locked it down. The back three was super today. It was an all-around great performance."
Up Next
Wake Forest will travel to face Virginia Tech on Friday (Sept. 29). Kick off is slated for 7 p.m., and the match can be streamed on ACCNX.
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
The victory marked head coach Tony da Luz's 300th-win at Wake Forest, making him one of only four current ACC head coaches with 300+ wins at their respective programs. Additionally, Sunday's win marked his 100th ACC victory.
Of note, Sunday's upset marked the Demon Deacons' first ranked win since last season's 4-1 victory over No. 14 Clemson. The outcome also marked the Deacs' first win over Virginia since 2012.
After being engaged in a defensive battle for the first 77 minutes of play Sunday, the Demon Deacons took a 1-0 lead, as junior midfielder Nikayala Small cut inside on her right foot and forced a diving save from the Virginia keeper. Swanson then pounced on the rebound, firing a strike into the net for her first-career goal.
The Deacs extended their lead in the 89th minute as Johnson tapped in a goal on an assist from sophomore forward Caiya Hanks.
Wake Forest dominated throughout the contest, as the Deacs held a 19-8 (9-1 on-goal) shot advantage over the Cavaliers. Additionally, Wake Forest held 56 percent of the possession and earned six corners to Virginia's two.
Individually, Hanks led the team with four shots (two on goal) in addition to her fourth assist of the season, bringing her team-high points tally to 14. Junior midfielder Malaika Meena, Swanson and Small all fired three shots of their own.
Of note, junior goalkeeper Payton Cahill made her first-career start and appearance Sunday, leading the Deacs to their sixth clean sheet of the season.
How It Happened
- The Deacs earned their first corner of the match in the second minute as Caiya Hanks pressured the Cavaliers' back line.
- Nikayla Small attempted a shot 30 seconds later but her attempt sailed just off frame.
- Over the first 20 minutes of play, the Demon Deacons outshot the Cavaliers, 3-1.
- Additionally, Wake Forest won three corners during that time frame.
- Payton Cahill tallied her first-career save in the 17th minute.
- Additionally, Wake Forest won three corners during that time frame.
- Virginia attempted shots in the 29th minute and the 33rd minute but both were off target.
- Wake Forest continued to pressure Virginia's defense over the next three minutes, tallying three shots – two of which were on goal.
- Anna Swanson had the Deacs' best opportunity of the first half as she blasted a shot that ricocheted off the woodwork, before being cleared by a Virginia defender.
- The two sides entered the halftime break tied at zero.
- Wake Forest owned a 7-3 shots advantage in the opening frame.
- Defensively, the Demon Deacons held the Cavs to one shot on goal.
- Individually, Hanks and Small combined for four shot attempts during the opening 45 minutes.
- Both teams came out aggressive, attempting two shots apiece over the first eight minutes of the second half.
- Murphy attempted both of Wake Forest's shots.
- Swanson had another chance in the 63rd minute, but her shot was corralled by Virginia's keeper.
- The Cavaliers pressured Wake Forest's defense over the following seven minutes, attempting two more shots.
- In the 78th minute, Swanson gave the Deacs the lead with her first-career goal.
- Small cut inside on her right foot and forced a diving save from the Virginia keeper before Swanson pounced on the rebound for the opener.
- The Demon Deacons battled over the next 10 minutes and defended well, despite a heavy Cavalier attack.
- Hannah Johnson sealed the win for Wake Forest in the 89th minute with her first tally of the season.
- Hanks flew down the right wing on the counter-attack before she picked out Johnson on the back post for the tap-in.
- The Demon Deacons held on to earn their first ACC win of the season, 2-0.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
- Liv Stowell made her 50th-career appearance, the most of any active Demon Deacon.
- Swanson's goal was the first of her career.
- She now has four-career points (two assists).
- Johnson's goal was her first of the season and the third of her career.
- Her last goal came in the regular-season finale at Boston College last year.
- The entire backline played the full 90 minutes in the shutout.
- Laurel Ansbrow played the full 90 for the sixth time this season and currently leads the team with 821 minutes played.
- This marks the fifth time this season that Dempsey Brown, Kristin Johnson and Zara Chavoshi have played the full 90.
- Nikayla Small made her 30th-career appearance.
- Olivia Duvall made her 20th-career appearance.
Standout Stats
- The 2-0 victory Sunday marked the sixth shutout of the season for the Demon Deacons.
- Additionally, it's the ninth time this season Wake Forest didn't allow a first-half goal.
- Hanks notched her fourth assist of the season and the seventh of her career.
- The sophomore forward leads the team with 14 points this campaign (five goals, four assists).
- Her 14 points equals last season's team-high (Liv Stowell) in nine less games.
- Small picked up her seventh assist of the season and the 12th of her career.
- This marks the first time a Demon Deacon has compiled seven assists in a season since Jenna Menta in 2021.
- Payton Cahill earned the shutout in her first-career appearance.
Tony Time with Coach da Luz
"Today was a really special team performance. Maddy (Madison Howard) got injured in warm ups and Payton (Cahill) filled in without missing a beat. Our team pressure was relentless, our possession was solid and our attack was exceptional. Caiya (Hanks) was so dangerous throughout and central midfield (Abbie Colton and Dempsey Brown) locked it down. The back three was super today. It was an all-around great performance."
Up Next
Wake Forest will travel to face Virginia Tech on Friday (Sept. 29). Kick off is slated for 7 p.m., and the match can be streamed on ACCNX.
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
Team Stats
UVA
WFU
Goals
0
2
Shots
8
19
Shots on Goal
1
9
Saves
7
1
Corners
2
6
Fouls
7
7
Scoring Plays
Anna Swanson (1)
Assisted By: Nikayla Small
GOAL by WFU Swanson, Anna Assist by Small, Nikayla.
77:43
Hannah Johnson (1)
Assisted By: Caiya Hanks
GOAL by WFU Johnson, Hannah Assist by Hanks, Caiya.
88:03
Game Leaders
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
mid
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
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Defender
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
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Goalkeeper
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Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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