Saturday, December 7
Columbus, OH
5 p.m.
Wake Forest University
12-5-7, 4-2-2
0
at
3
Ohio State
16-1-4, 7-1-2
1
2
F
Wake Forest
0
0
0
Ohio St.
1
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Memorable 2024 Season Comes to a Close For Wake Forest
12/7/2024 8:20:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Demon Deacons claimed the program’s fourth ACC Championship and a sixth Elite Eight appearance since 2015.
COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Wake Forest men's soccer team (12-5-7) saw its 2024 season come to an end on Saturday evening, as the No. 8 seeded Demon Deacons fell to No. 1 seeded Ohio State (16-1-4) by a final of 3-0 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
The result concluded a memorable campaign for Wake Forest, as the Demon Deacons during the 2024 season:
How It Happened
Demon Deacon Details of Note
From Coach Muuss
"First and foremost, I want to congratulate Ohio State and Coach Maisonneuve on an incredible season. They have a Big Ten Championship and now a College Cup. Unfortunately, it's hard to say, but the better team won tonight. We had a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes compared to what this group is capable of as we've seen over the last month and a half. Just disappointed that we just didn't have a great performance on the most important stage right now in this part of the season. This result, although super disappointing, because you never know when you're going to be in the quarterfinals and have an opportunity to get into a College Cup, can't really define the season that we had and the determination and resiliency that this group has shown. I have a newfound belief in what dealing with adversity is and what a group of kids, 30 guys, when they believe can accomplish. I'm thankful to this group. I'm thankful to my senior class, my staff, and the administration for all the support and belief that they've given us this entire season."
2024 Season Highlights
The result concluded a memorable campaign for Wake Forest, as the Demon Deacons during the 2024 season:
- Extended its nationally-best mark of total wins since 2015 to 152
| Program | Total Wins Since 2015 Season |
| Wake Forest | 152 |
| Indiana | 145 |
| Clemson | 141 |
| Georgetown | 133 |
| Stanford | 127 |
- Extended its nationally-best mark of home wins since 2015 to 111
| Program | Total Home Since 2015 Season |
| Wake Forest | 111 |
| Indiana | 93 |
| Clemson | 92 |
| Virginia | 86 |
| Georgetown | 84 |
- Extended the ACC's longest NCAA Tournament appearances streak to 14 consecutive seasons
| ACC School | Consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances |
| Wake Forest | 14 |
| Clemson | 6 |
| Pitt | 6 |
| North Carolina | 5 |
| Duke | 4 |
| Virginia | 3 |
| SMU | 3 |
| Stanford | 3 |
| NC State | 1 |
- Won an ACC-best third conference championship over the last 10 seasons
| Team | ACC Tournament Titles | Years Winning ACC Tournament |
| Wake Forest | 3 | 2016, 2017, 2024 |
| Clemson | 2 | 2020, 2023 |
| Syracuse | 1 | 2015 |
| Louisville | 1 | 2018 |
| Virginia | 1 | 2019 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 2021 |
| Syracuse | 1 | 2022 |
- Made an eighth Elite Eight appearance since 2006, tied for the most appearances nationally
| Program | Elite Eight Appearances Since 2006 | Years Making Elite Eight |
| Wake Forest | 10 | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2024 |
| North Carolina | 10 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023 |
| Indiana | 7 | 2008, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 |
| Maryland | 7 | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 |
| Stanford | 6 | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 |
| Creighton | 6 | 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 |
| Notre Dame | 6 | 2006, 2007, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2023 |
How It Happened
- The Buckeyes earned an early and dangerous free kick opportunity in the second minute but the Deacs prevented Ohio State from recording a shot.
- Graduate Colin Thomas logged the first shot of the evening for either side in the seventh minute, bringing down a through ball from sophomore Liam O'Gara. A diving effort by the Buckeyes' keeper kept the match 0-0.
- Freshman Dylan Borso recorded his first shot of the game, as his effort was saved by the Ohio State keeper in the 16th minute.
- The Buckeyes had another dangerous chance in the 19th minute, but graduate student Prince Amponsah made a crucial block to keep the game scoreless.
- Senior goalkeeper Trace Alphin was forced into action in the 29th minute as he saved a powerful shot from inside the box.
- Alphin would make his second save a minute later on a close range header from a dangerous freekick.
- Alphin made his third save of the night in the 33rd minute, as he parried away a long range effort by the Buckeyes.
- Junior Cooper Flax nearly found the back of the net in the 34th minute, but his free kick went just over the crossbar.
- Alphin was forced into a save once again in the 38th minute, recording his fourth stop of the evening on a header off a Buckeye corner.
- Ohio State took the lead in the 40th minute on a penalty kick.
- The Deacs went into halftime down 1-0.
- The Buckeyes extended their lead to 2-0 in the 48th minute.
- Ohio State added another in the 59th minute to make it 3-0.
- Borso recorded the first shot of the second half for the Deacs in the 63rd minute with his close range shot being saved.
- Amponsah had his effort blocked on the ensuing corner.
- The Deacs continued to push for a goal to get them back in the game, as freshman Amoni Thomas' 66th minute shot was blocked.
- Alphin recorded his sixth save of the game as he made a diving stop in the 68th minute to deny the Buckeyes.
- In the 73rd minute, Alphin made his season-high seventh save of the game on another diving effort to tip the Buckeye shot over the bar.
- Sophomore Liam O'Gara tallied his first shot of the game as his header went over the bar in the 77th minute.
- The Demon Deacons fell 3-0.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
- Graduate Prince Amponsah earned his 84th career start and made his 92nd career appearance, seventh-most in program history.
- Senior Trace Alphin earned his 78th career start, tied for the 15th-most in program history alongside 2007 National Champions Pat Phelan (2004-07) and Julian Valentin (2004-07) along with Chad Evans (1996-99), David Kawesi-Mukooza (1996-99) and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Mark Erwin (1980-83).
- In the match, Alphin surpassed 7,000 career minutes, becoming only the second goalkeeper in program history to hit that mark with 2007 National Champion Brian Edwards.
- Junior Cooper Flax earned his 50th career start.
- Sophomore Liam O'Gara earned his 20th career start.
- Graduate Colin Thomas made his 83rd career appearance, tied for 14th-most in program history alongside Andy Lubhan (2009-13), Scott Sealy (2001-04) and Wake Forest Sports Hall of Famer Mark Erwin (1980-83).
- Graduate Sidney Paris made his 45th appearance at Wake Forest.
- Sophomore Jose Perez made his 35th career appearance.
- Freshman Amoni Thomas made his 20th career appearance.
From Coach Muuss
"First and foremost, I want to congratulate Ohio State and Coach Maisonneuve on an incredible season. They have a Big Ten Championship and now a College Cup. Unfortunately, it's hard to say, but the better team won tonight. We had a lot of uncharacteristic mistakes compared to what this group is capable of as we've seen over the last month and a half. Just disappointed that we just didn't have a great performance on the most important stage right now in this part of the season. This result, although super disappointing, because you never know when you're going to be in the quarterfinals and have an opportunity to get into a College Cup, can't really define the season that we had and the determination and resiliency that this group has shown. I have a newfound belief in what dealing with adversity is and what a group of kids, 30 guys, when they believe can accomplish. I'm thankful to this group. I'm thankful to my senior class, my staff, and the administration for all the support and belief that they've given us this entire season."
2024 Season Highlights
- The Demon Deacons claimed their fourth ACC Championship and third under 10th-year head coach Bobby Muuss in a thrilling 7-6 PK result against Clemson on Nov. 17. This came after Wake Forest opened the ACC Tournament with a comeback victory against Syracuse, erasing a late 2-0 deficit against SMU to advance in PKs and then tallying the largest victory over Virginia in program history with a 5-1 result in the semifinals.
- A talented group of seniors and graduates leave behind a legacy on and off the field, as the group helped lead the Demon Deacons to 63 victories, including four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2023 ACC Atlantic Division title while extending nationally-best marks for total wins, home wins and ACC regular season wins for the program over the last decade.
- The 2023 ACC Atlantic Division title marked Wake Forest's fifth during the 10-year divisional format, most in the ACC.
- Between September and October, the Demon Deacons rattled off a seven-match unbeaten stretch with ACC victories over Syracuse, Boston College and Virginia Tech along with non-conference wins against ETSU and UNCW. During that stretch, Wake Forest also recorded 0-0 draws with Wofford and then-No. 16 Duke.
- The 2-1 comeback victory over Syracuse marked the first time either program has won on the road in the all-time series, as the Deacs scored in the 78th and 80th minutes.
- The shutout against Duke's high-octane offense marked the first time the Blue Devils were held scoreless at home since a 2-0 decision against Clemson on Nov. 6, 2022.
- Wake Forest registered its first comeback victory being down 2-0 for the first time since Sept. 3, 2006, as the Demon Deacons erased a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat Central Arkansas 3-2 on Aug. 25.
- Wake Forest is now 10-0-0 in Genna Wiley Memorial Matches under head coach Bobby Muuss, as the Demon Deacons defeated Virginia Tech 2-1 on Oct. 19.
- The Deacs wore special pink jerseys with $3,355 raised to benefit the Cancer Health Equity Patient Care fund at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
- Six Demon Deacon freshmen earned a starting role throughout the season, as Amoni Thomas, Daniel Krueger, Dylan Borso, Pariss Mitchell, Ryan Belal and Will Jackson all earned spots in the Starting XI.
- Redshirt freshman Jonah Mednard also made his Wake Forest debut this season, appearing in victories against ETSU and UNCW.
- Wake Forest extended its conference-best mark for ACC regular season victories since 2015 to 55 with four wins this season. The Deacs' 55 ACC regular season victories are nine more than any other program.
- The Demon Deacons will be the only program with more than 100 home victories since the start of the 2015 season, finishing the 2024 campaign with nine wins at Spry.
- The Deacs' 152 victories over the last decade are also most in the country, trailing by Indiana (145) and Clemson (141).
Team Stats
WFU
OSU
Goals
0
3
Shots
7
20
Shots on Goal
3
10
Saves
7
3
Corners
5
7
Fouls
17
15
Scoring Plays
Michael Adedokun (10)
OSU Michael Adedokun PENALTY KICK GOAL.
39:10
David Ajagbe (7)
Assisted By: Luciano Pechota
GOAL by OSU Ajagbe, David Assist by Pechota, Luciano.
47:12
Michael Adedokun (10)
Assisted By: Parker Grinstead , Luciano Pechota
GOAL by OSU Adedokun, Michael Assist by Grinstead, Parker and Pechota, Luciano.
58:55
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
mid
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
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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Defender
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Goalkeeper
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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Midfielder
/ Men's SoccerDefender
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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