Wake Forest University
1-0-0, 0-0-0
Army
0-1-0, 0-0-0
Wake Forest Takes Season Opener 1-0 Over Army
8/15/2024 9:04:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Junior Hannah Johnson tabbed the lone goal as the Demon Deacons remain unbeaten in non-conference openers since 2016.
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Thanks to a 41st-minute goal from junior Hannah Johnson, the Wake Forest women's soccer team opened the 2024 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Army West Point Thursday evening at Malek Stadium.
The lone goal came after a clever dummy from senior Nikayla Small on a ball from Laurel Ansbrow, Johnson then took a perfect touch with her back to goal to enter the box and knock it past the keeper. It marked Johnson's fifth-career goal and Ansbrow's second-career assist. She led the team with five shots-on-goal.
Of note, it was the second time in Johnson's career where she scored the first goal of the season for the Demon Deacons, with the first coming in her Wake Forest debut in 2022 against Milwaukee.
The Demon Deacons dominated the contest, as they outshot the Black Knights, 29-to-1 (15-to-1 on goal), and won 13 corners throughout the 90 minutes. Wake Forest also controlled 68 percent of possession Thursday evening.
Star midfielder Emily Colton earned the start and made her Wake Forest debut. She tallied 74 minutes and played a major role in the Deacs' dominance throughout the contest.
After missing the entirety of her freshman season, forward Sierra Sythe made her collegiate debut in the 63rd minute. She made an instant impact with a shot from right outside the box just a minute after coming on. She nearly doubled the lead once again with 15 minutes remaining in the contest, as she forced the keeper into a tough save and earned a corner.
The veteran center back pairing of Zara Chavoshi and Ansbrow went the full 90 minutes and helped limit Army to just one shot throughout the match. Chavoshi made her 50th-career appearance while Ansbrow logged her 40th. Additionally, it marked Ansbrow's 36th-consecutive start, the longest streak on the team.
In goal, Payton Cahill kept her fifth-career clean sheet in just nine games. The senior improved to 5-1-3 for her career and now holds a stellar .555 goals-against average. Despite only being forced into one save, the keeper limited Army's opportunities and cut off potential chances.
Wake Forest improves to 1-0-1 all-time against Army following last season's draw in Winston-Salem. The Demon Deacons have also now won seven-consecutive non-conference openers and have not lost one since 2016.
How It Happened
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The Demon Deacons controlled the contest early on, as they won a pair of corners and held a large share of the possession throughout the first 10 minutes.
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Dempsey Brown tested the Army keeper for the first time in the 12th minute, as she got her head on the end of the third Wake Forest corner kick of the match.
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Through 20 minutes, the Deacs won six corners and took seven shots with four on goal.
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Wake Forest continued to put immense pressure on the Black Knights and outshot the opponents, 17-0 (8-0 on goal) with five minutes remaining in the half and had earned eight corners to zero.
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The pressure paid off in the 41st minute, as junior Hannah Johnson scored the first Wake Forest goal of the 2024 campaign following a clever dummy from Nikayla Small.
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The striker took a beautiful touch with her back to goal and tapped it past the keeper for her fifth-career tally.
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The Demon Deacons led, 1-0, at the break.
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It was a physical battle throughout the first 15 minutes of the second half as both sides battled to enter the final third.
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In the 63rd minute, forward Sierra Sythe entered the contest for her Wake Forest debut after missing her freshman campaign.
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Sythe made an instant impact a minute after coming on, as she found space and fired a shot from outside the box.
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She then came close to doubling Wake Forest's lead with 15 minutes remaining, as she launched a shot from way outside and forced the keeper to tip it onto the bar and behind for the Demon Deacon's 13th corner of the contest.
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The Demon Deacons defended well during a late surge of Army pressure and kept the clean sheet intact, downing the Black Knights, 1-0.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
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Defender Zara Chavoshi made her 50th-career appearance for the Demon Deacons. She joined Kristin Johnson (58) and Malaika Meena (52) as the only active Wake Forest players to reach 50 games in the Old Gold & Black.
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Laurel Ansbrow made her 40th-career appearance for Wake Forest.
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The senior has now started 36-consecutive games, the longest active streak on the team.
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Hannah Johnson notched her fifth-career goal in the 41st minute for the first tally of the season for Wake Forest.
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Of note, it was the second time in Johnson's career that she scored the first goal of the season for the Demon Deacons, with the first coming in her Wake Forest debut in 2022 against Milwaukee.
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Laurel Ansbrow registered the assist on the goal, the second of her career and first since 2022.
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Payton Cahill limited Army's opportunities with her positioning and kept her fifth-career clean sheet in just nine games.
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The senior improved to 5-1-3 in her career and now holds a stellar .555 goals-against average.
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Wake Forest has not lost a non-conference opener since 2016 and is currently on a seven-match winning streak in non-conference season openers.
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Thursday night saw two players make their Demon Deacon debut, as Emily Colton and Sierra Sythe took the pitch against the Black Knights.
From Coach da Luz
"Great start tonight! Three points on the road over a tough Army team is a solid result. We dominated the game throughout, recorded another shutout and generated multiple quality chances. There were so many positives to take away from the game and we look forward to Sunday's game at Rutgers!"
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will now head to Piscataway, N.J. for a battle with Big Ten foe Rutgers on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 1 p.m. The match will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus with live stats available here.
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Team Stats
Hannah Johnson (1)
Assisted By: Laurel Ansbrow
GOAL by Wake Johnson, Hannah Assist by Ansbrow, Laurel.
40:50
