Friday, December 6
Cary, N.C.
5 p.m.
Wake Forest University
1
vs
0
Stanford
Demon Deacons Advance to First National Championship in Program History
12/6/2024 7:49:00 PM | Women's Soccer
A 73rd-minute goal from senior Emily Morris helped Wake Forest down Stanford, 1-0, on Friday night to advance to its first NCAA Championship Final in program history.
CARY, N.C. – Behind the lone marker in the game from senior midfielder Emily Morris, the Wake Forest women's soccer team has advanced to the 2024 NCAA National Championship after defeating Stanford, 1-0, in the College Cup semifinals Friday night in Cary, N.C. It marks the first championship appearance in program history for the Demon Deacons.
The Demon Deacons (16-3-4) broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when a cross from redshirt freshman Sierra Sythe found senior Emily Morris at the back post. Morris' shot took a deflection off the The Cardinal (16-5-2) goalkeeper's hand and off the deflection bounced over the touchline. The goal was the latest the first goal has been scored in a national semifinal since 2018.
The goal marked the fourth for Morris on the season and second of the postseason. Junior Caiya Hanks also picked up a secondary assist on the goal, marking her 12th of the season, breaking the program record for assists in a single season. Additionally, Hanks has recorded 34 points this season including 11 goals.
In net, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Valentina Amaral notched four saves in the game in order to secure her 11th win and her seventh clean sheet of the season.
On the defensive side, the back line of Sythe and seniors Laurel Ansbrow, Kristin Johnson, and Zara Chavoshi held the Cardinal to only seven shots on the game, moving to 5-1-2 this season when holding opponents to 6-to-10 shots allowed in a game.
National Championship Game Bound
*Active coaches
From Coach da Luz
"I'm so proud of our team. They performed at a really high level all year long. To beat a good team like Stanford in the national semifinals is an incredible result. I have faith that we can get to Monday and close the deal" - Head coach Tony da Luz
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will now play for the national championship on Monday night at 7 p.m. against the winner of No. 1 Duke and No. 2 North Carolina.
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
The Demon Deacons (16-3-4) broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute when a cross from redshirt freshman Sierra Sythe found senior Emily Morris at the back post. Morris' shot took a deflection off the The Cardinal (16-5-2) goalkeeper's hand and off the deflection bounced over the touchline. The goal was the latest the first goal has been scored in a national semifinal since 2018.
The goal marked the fourth for Morris on the season and second of the postseason. Junior Caiya Hanks also picked up a secondary assist on the goal, marking her 12th of the season, breaking the program record for assists in a single season. Additionally, Hanks has recorded 34 points this season including 11 goals.
In net, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Valentina Amaral notched four saves in the game in order to secure her 11th win and her seventh clean sheet of the season.
On the defensive side, the back line of Sythe and seniors Laurel Ansbrow, Kristin Johnson, and Zara Chavoshi held the Cardinal to only seven shots on the game, moving to 5-1-2 this season when holding opponents to 6-to-10 shots allowed in a game.
National Championship Game Bound
- For the first time in program history, the Demon Deacons will appear in the NCAA championship game, securing a rematch against either North Carolina or Duke on Monday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.
- With the Deacs win over the Cardinal, the NCAA championship game will feature two schools from the state of North Carolina for the first time since 1992.
- Wake Forest is in the midst of its 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with 22 of them coming under the helm of Tony da Luz.
- The Demon Deacons have made three of the last four tournaments, just missing out last year with a record of 10-3-5 and a sixth-place ACC finish.
- Wake Forest now holds an overall record of 27-21-1 in the tournament.
- Junior Caiya Hanks recorded the first shot of the game, as her effort in the third minute was blocked.
- The Deacs continued to apply the pressure early, as senior Kristin Johnson's effort in the box off a corner kick went just wide in the fourth minute.
- Senior Emily Colton nearly put the Deacs in front as her close range effort in the 20th minute was saved by the Stanford goalie.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Valentina Ameral was forced into action in the 30th minute, making a diving save to push the ball off the post before the rebound was cleared off the line by Johnson, keeping the score level.
- Ameral added her second save three minutes later.
- Senior Emily Murphy notched her first shot of the night in the 40th minute, as her headed effort from a corner went wide.
- The two sides headed into halftime deadlocked at 0-0.
- The Deacs came out of the half on the front foot, recording three shots within the first three minutes of the second half.
- Johnson fired a shot from outside the box just wide in the 47th minute.
- Murphy tested the Cardinal goalkeeper 29 seconds later before senior Malaika Meena's 48th minute effort sailed just over the crossbar.
- Murphy came close to scoring once again as her header in the 51st minute went just over the bar.
- The Demon Deacons continued to threaten the Stanford net, as senior Laurel Ansbrow's header off a dangerous free kick went just high in the 61st minute.
- Johnson once again found herself in a dangerous position as her 70th effort went wide.
- The Demon Deacons broke the deadlock as senior Emily Morris brought down a cross from sophomore Sierra Sythe before firing a curling shot from just inside the box that crept just over the line.
- The goal marked the fourth for Morris on the season and second of the postseason.
- Hanks picked up a secondary assist on the goal by Morris, setting a new program record with her 12th assist of the season.
- Amaral recorded her third save of the match following the ensuing kickoff at the 73rd minute mark.
- Amaral added her fourth stop eight minutes later.
- The Deacs continued pushing for a second as Hanks had her 82nd minute shot saved.
- Despite constant pressure from the Cardinal over the final eight minutes of play, the Demon Deacons held on to win 1-0 and advance to their first national championship game appearance in program history.
- Wake Forest remains unblemished in the all-time series against Stanford, 4-0-1 dating back to 1997.
- The Demon Deacons are the only team in the country to be unbeaten all-time against the Cardinal with at least three matches played. This includes a 2-0-0 mark against Stanford this season.
- Earlier this season, Wake Forest defeated Stanford 1-0 at Spry Stadium and earned its first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked team.
- The Demon Deacons are the only team in the country to be unbeaten all-time against the Cardinal with at least three matches played. This includes a 2-0-0 mark against Stanford this season.
- Head coach Tony da Luz is one of just 26 coaches to coach in the College Cup multiple times (2011, 2024). Additionally, he is one of 20 coaches all-time to have 24 or more NCAA Tournament wins.
- Additionally, his 23 NCAA Tournament appearances are tied for the seventh most in NCAA history:
| Rank | Appearances | Schools |
| 1. Anson Dorrance | 42 | North Carolina |
| 2. Jerry Smith* | 34 | Santa Clara |
| 3. Len Tsantiris | 31 | UConn |
| T4. G Guerrieri* | 29 | Texas A&M |
| T4. Steve Swanson* | 29 | Dartmouth/Stanford/Virginia |
| 6. Jennifer Rockwood* | 25 | BYU |
| T7. Tony da Luz* | 23 | San Diego/Wake Forest |
| T7. Nikki Izzo-Brown* | 23 | West Virginia |
| T9. John Daly | 22 | William & Mary |
| T9. Becky Burleigh | 22 | Florida |
- Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Valentina Amaral had an incredible performance against Stanford.
- She finished with four saves bringing her season total to 44 saves on the season.
- Her .800 goals-against average this season is the third-best best in the ACC and it currently ranks as the lowest in program history.
- Additionally, her six clean sheets in conference play ranked as the second-most in the ACC.
- In her first full season, Amaral started all 10 ACC matches and only allowed seven goals, the fewest in the conference.
- She has a 0.67 goals against average over the course of the entire season.
- Amaral is now 12-2-3 in matches she has started for her career.
- Junior Caiya Hanks also picked up a secondary assist on the goal, marking her 12th of the season, breaking the program record for assists in a single season.
| Rank | Single-Season Assists |
| 1. Caiya Hanks (2024) | 12 |
| 2. Elizabeth Remy (2005) | 11 |
| T3. Anne Shropshire (1998) | 10 |
| T3. Stefanie Matthews (1998) | 10 |
| T4. Kaley Fountain (2009) | 10 |
- Additionally, Hanks has recorded 34 points this season including 11 goals.
| Rank | Single-Season Points |
| 1. Katie Stengel (2011) | 46 |
| 2. Katie Stengel (2010) | 37 |
| 3. Caiya Hanks (2024) | 34 |
| T4. Jill Hutchinson (2009) | 32 |
| T4. Anne Shropshire (2009) | 32 |
From Coach da Luz
"I'm so proud of our team. They performed at a really high level all year long. To beat a good team like Stanford in the national semifinals is an incredible result. I have faith that we can get to Monday and close the deal" - Head coach Tony da Luz
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will now play for the national championship on Monday night at 7 p.m. against the winner of No. 1 Duke and No. 2 North Carolina.
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
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