Thursday, November 14
Cary, N.C.
5:30 p.m.
Wake Forest University
10-4-6, 4-2-2
5
vs
1
Virginia
10-6-3, 3-3-2
1
2
F
Virginia
0
1
1
Wake Forest
3
2
5
Wake Forest Advances to ACC Championship with Dominant 5-1 Victory Over Virginia
11/14/2024 8:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Three first-half goals from senior Julian Kennedy and juniors Cooper Flax and Basit Umar helped the Deacs secure their first trip to the ACC Championship game since 2017.
CARY, N.C. – Behind three first-half goals over an 11-minute span, the No. 5 seeded Wake Forest men's soccer team (10-4-6) secured its place in the 2024 ACC Championship match with a 5-1 victory over No. 9 seeded Virginia (10-6-3) Thursday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.
The Demon Deacons opened the scoring in the 18th minute after senior forward Julian Kennedy headed home his first goal of the season after a perfect floated ball from freshman midfielder Dylan Borso.
The Orlando, Fla., native then turned creator six minutes later as he found junior midfielder Basit Umar on the edge of the box, who doubled the Wake Forest advantage with a beautiful left-footed strike for his fourth goal of the season.
It marked Kennedy's first game with multiple goal contributions since his hat trick against Loyola Maryland on Oct. 19, 2021.
In the 29th minute, junior midfielder Cooper Flax made it 3-0 Wake Forest as he capitalized from the spot after a handball in the box.
The Deacs carried their momentum into the second half, as freshman Joel Torbic's dangerous cross into the box went untouched into the back of the net in the 52nd minute, giving the State College, Pa. native his first career goal.
In the 75th minute, senior Colin Thomas was taken down in the box for Wake Forest's second penalty of the match. Flax once again stepped up and fired it home with ease to make it 5-1.
Flax became the first Demon Deacon with a brace since Babacar Niang on Aug. 25 against Central Arkansas. He has scored in all three games of the ACC Tournament so far and is the first Demon Deacon to score in three-consecutive matches since Roald Mitchell in September of 2022.
The New York native leads the team with eight goals on the year with four of them coming from the spot.
Additionally, the five goals marked the most in a game this season for the Deacs and most since the 5-1 victory over Robert Morris on Oct. 17, 2023. It was also the most goals scored against the Cavaliers in program history as well as the largest margin of victory.
National-Best Win No. 150 Since 2015
With Sunday's 5-1 victory over Virginia, Wake Forest men's soccer has won a national-best 150 matches since the start of the 2015 season.
Over the last 10 seasons under the direction of head coach Bobby Muuss, associate head coaches Steve Armas and Dane Brenner and assistant coach Ade Taiwo, Wake Forest ranks No. 1 nationally in total wins (150) and home wins (109) along with earning the most ACC regular season victories during that span at 56.
ACC Finals Bound
By advancing against No. 9 Virginia, Wake Forest will be making its seventh appearance in the finals of the ACC Tournament and the third time in the last nine seasons.
Additionally, as Wake Forest makes another appearance in the ACC Men's Soccer Championship, the Demon Deacons remain the most recent ACC program to win back-to-back tournament titles, doing so in 2016 and 2017.
Amponsah Cracks Top-10 For Career Appearances & Starts
A mainstay on the backline for the Demon Deacons over the last five years, Amponsah entered the top-10 in program history for both career appearances and starts on Thursday evening.
In his five seasons with the program, Amponsah has made 88 appearances with 80 starts, recording nearly 7,200 minutes of action.
How It Happened
"I am proud of the way the guys started the game. I thought we were pretty selfless. We did the little things to win first and second balls. In the first half, we really didn't give them any type of good opportunities. The scoreline heading into halftime, obviously it's in our favor and it's sometimes hard to keep the guys really focused, but I thought they did a decent job. I'm really disappointed that we let up, but we were able to rest some guys and rotate some guys. But what a great performance by the Deacs tonight. I told the guys in the locker room that this is a team that people counted out a couple of weeks ago and you're going to make the NCAA tournament now. We won and we have one more game to win. There's going to be a lot of games played at Spry if we're fortunate to succeed on Sunday."
Up Next
Wake Forest will face the advancing team between the second ACC Tournament semifinal between No. 2 seeded Clemson and No. 11 seeded Cal on Sunday at 12 noon at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The match will air nationally on ESPNU as the Demon Deacons look to claim their fourth ACC Tournament title in program history.
The Demon Deacons opened the scoring in the 18th minute after senior forward Julian Kennedy headed home his first goal of the season after a perfect floated ball from freshman midfielder Dylan Borso.
The Orlando, Fla., native then turned creator six minutes later as he found junior midfielder Basit Umar on the edge of the box, who doubled the Wake Forest advantage with a beautiful left-footed strike for his fourth goal of the season.
It marked Kennedy's first game with multiple goal contributions since his hat trick against Loyola Maryland on Oct. 19, 2021.
In the 29th minute, junior midfielder Cooper Flax made it 3-0 Wake Forest as he capitalized from the spot after a handball in the box.
The Deacs carried their momentum into the second half, as freshman Joel Torbic's dangerous cross into the box went untouched into the back of the net in the 52nd minute, giving the State College, Pa. native his first career goal.
In the 75th minute, senior Colin Thomas was taken down in the box for Wake Forest's second penalty of the match. Flax once again stepped up and fired it home with ease to make it 5-1.
Flax became the first Demon Deacon with a brace since Babacar Niang on Aug. 25 against Central Arkansas. He has scored in all three games of the ACC Tournament so far and is the first Demon Deacon to score in three-consecutive matches since Roald Mitchell in September of 2022.
The New York native leads the team with eight goals on the year with four of them coming from the spot.
Additionally, the five goals marked the most in a game this season for the Deacs and most since the 5-1 victory over Robert Morris on Oct. 17, 2023. It was also the most goals scored against the Cavaliers in program history as well as the largest margin of victory.
National-Best Win No. 150 Since 2015
With Sunday's 5-1 victory over Virginia, Wake Forest men's soccer has won a national-best 150 matches since the start of the 2015 season.
Over the last 10 seasons under the direction of head coach Bobby Muuss, associate head coaches Steve Armas and Dane Brenner and assistant coach Ade Taiwo, Wake Forest ranks No. 1 nationally in total wins (150) and home wins (109) along with earning the most ACC regular season victories during that span at 56.
| Team | Most Total Wins Since 2015 |
|
150 |
|
144 |
|
139 |
|
131 |
|
126 |
By advancing against No. 9 Virginia, Wake Forest will be making its seventh appearance in the finals of the ACC Tournament and the third time in the last nine seasons.
Additionally, as Wake Forest makes another appearance in the ACC Men's Soccer Championship, the Demon Deacons remain the most recent ACC program to win back-to-back tournament titles, doing so in 2016 and 2017.
| Year | Opponent | Finals Result |
| 2017 | Virginia | T, 2-2 (Wake won 4-3 in PKs) |
| 2016 | Clemson | W, 3-1 |
| 2007 | Boston College | L, 2-1 |
| 2006 | Duke | L, 1-0 (OT) |
| 1991 | Virginia | L, 3-1 |
| 1989 | Duke | T, 2-2 (Wake won 5-3 in PKs) |
A mainstay on the backline for the Demon Deacons over the last five years, Amponsah entered the top-10 in program history for both career appearances and starts on Thursday evening.
In his five seasons with the program, Amponsah has made 88 appearances with 80 starts, recording nearly 7,200 minutes of action.
| Player | Career Starts |
|
98 |
|
93 |
Lyle Adams (2005-08) |
91 |
| 6. Michael Lahoud (2005-08) | 89 |
| 7. Ian Harkes (2013-16) Neil Covone (1987-90) |
82 |
| 9. Craig Conger (1989-91) | 81 |
| 10. Jon Bakero (2014-17) Prince Amponsah (2020-Present) |
80 |
| Player | Career Appearances |
|
99 |
|
98 |
|
95 |
| 5. Jamie Franks (2005-08) Brian Edwards (2004-07) |
93 |
| 7. Brad Dunwell (2015-18) Sam Raben (2015-18) |
91 |
| 9. Evan Brown (2005-08) | 89 |
| 10. Jon Bakero (2014-17) Prince Amponsah (2020-Present) |
88 |
- After the Deacs dominated possession in the opening minutes, senior Julian Kennedy registered the first shot attempt of the night in the sixth minute.
- The Demon Deacons took the lead in the 18th minute after a Flax corner kick was brought down and then floated into the air by Borso, which found the head of Kennedy who headed it home for his first goal of the season.
- The 18th-minute strike was the earliest goal of the season by the Deacs.
- Borso, who yesterday was named to the ACC All-Freshman team, logged his second assist of the tournament after a similar ball helped the Deacs defeat Syracuse in the opening round.
- Six minutes later, Umar doubled Wake Forest's advantage with a beautiful left-footed strike from just inside the box on an assist from Kennedy.
- It marked Umar's fourth goal of the season, with all four coming against ACC opponents.
- Kennedy registered multiple goal contributions in a single game for the first time since his hat trick against Loyola Maryland on Oct. 19, 2021.
- After a handball in the box, Flax made it 3-0 to the Deacs as he capitalized from the spot for the third time this season.
- The New York-native now has a goal in each of the last three games and leads the team with seven on the season.
- He is the first Deac to score in three-consecutive matches since Roald Mitchell in September of 2022.
- O'Gara checked in for his season-debut in the 35th minute.
- The Demon Deacons went into the locker room with a 3-0 lead.
- Wake Forest controlled 63 percent of the ball over the first 45 minutes and held a 7-to-1 shots advantage (4-to-0 on-goal).
- Seven minutes into the second half, Torbic gave Wake Forest a four-goal advantage as his dangerous ball into the box went untouched and into the back of the net for his first-career goal.
- Virginia got a goal back in the 55th minute.
- Amoni Thomas came up with a sliding block in the box in the 58th minute.
- Alphin logged his first save of the contest in the 68th minute as he corralled a header following a Virginia corner.
- Colin Thomas was taken down in the box for Wake Forest's second penalty of the match, which Flax once again finished with ease in the 75th minute.
- The Demon Deacons defended well over the last 15 minutes and limited Virginia's chances.
- Wake Forest advanced to the ACC Championship match with a 5-1 victory over the Cavaliers.
- Senior Trace Alphin earned his 74th career start, 23rd-most in program history.
- Junior Basit Umar earned his 35th career start.
- Graduate Colin Thomas made his 79th career appearance, 30th-most in program history alongside Steven Echevarria (2014-17), Anthony Arena (2009-12) and Brock Hilpert (1997-00).
- Senior Julian Kennedy made his 70th career appearance and earned his 10th career start.
- Senior Bo Cummins made his 60th career appearance.
- Sophomore Travis Smith Jr. made his 30th career appearance.
- Freshmen Dylan Borso, Daniel Krueger and Pariss Mitchell made their 20th career appearances.
- Freshman Ryan Belal made his 15th career appearance.
- Freshman Joel Torbic made his 10th career appearance.
- Sophomore Liam O'Gara made his season debut, entering the match in the 35th minute.
- After previously going 0-15-5 against Virginia in Wake Forest's first 20 meetings with the Cavaliers in ACC Tournament action, the Demon Deacons have logged back-to-back victories in the conference tournament against Virginia.
- This marked the 15th all-time victory against Virginia with five of those wins coming under 10th-year head coach Bobby Muuss.
- This was the first-ever victory over Virginia at a neutral site in 17 meetings.
- Wake Forest is now 3-3-1 all-time in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
"I am proud of the way the guys started the game. I thought we were pretty selfless. We did the little things to win first and second balls. In the first half, we really didn't give them any type of good opportunities. The scoreline heading into halftime, obviously it's in our favor and it's sometimes hard to keep the guys really focused, but I thought they did a decent job. I'm really disappointed that we let up, but we were able to rest some guys and rotate some guys. But what a great performance by the Deacs tonight. I told the guys in the locker room that this is a team that people counted out a couple of weeks ago and you're going to make the NCAA tournament now. We won and we have one more game to win. There's going to be a lot of games played at Spry if we're fortunate to succeed on Sunday."
Up Next
Wake Forest will face the advancing team between the second ACC Tournament semifinal between No. 2 seeded Clemson and No. 11 seeded Cal on Sunday at 12 noon at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The match will air nationally on ESPNU as the Demon Deacons look to claim their fourth ACC Tournament title in program history.
Team Stats
UVA
WFU
Goals
1
5
Shots
8
13
Shots on Goal
2
7
Saves
2
1
Corners
4
2
Fouls
12
14
Scoring Plays
Julian Kennedy (1)
Assisted By: Dylan Borso
GOAL by WFU Kennedy, Julian Assist by Borso, Dylan.
17:20
Basit Umar (4)
Assisted By: Julian Kennedy
GOAL by WFU Umar, Basit Assist by Kennedy, Julian.
23:23
Cooper Flax (6)
WFU Cooper Flax PENALTY KICK GOAL.
28:23
Joel Torbic (1)
Assisted By: Ryan Fessler
GOAL by WFU Torbic, Joel Assist by Fessler, Ryan.
51:55
Triton Beauvois (2)
Assisted By: Paul Wiese
GOAL by UVA Beauvois, Triton Assist by Wiese, Paul.
54:20
Cooper Flax (6)
WFU Cooper Flax PENALTY KICK GOAL.
74:06
Game Leaders
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
mid
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Defender
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Forward
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Midfielder
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Defender
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Midfielder
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Forward
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Defender
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Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
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Midfielder
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Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
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Midfielder
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
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