Thursday, August 22
Winston-Salem NC
6:00 p.m.
Wake Forest University
2-0-1, 0-0-0
4
vs
0
Temple
0-3-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Temple
0
0
0
Wake Forest
0
4
4
Demon Deacons Earn Dominant 4-0 Victory Over Temple in Home Opener
8/22/2024 9:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Wake Forest has now gone 10-consecutive games at home without defeat.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Using a strong second-half surge, the Wake Forest women's soccer team earned a dominant 4-0 victory in the home opener against Temple Thursday evening at Spry Stadium.
The opening goal came two minutes into the second half when senior Anna Swanson found herself on the end of a great ball from junior Caiya Hanks at close range and had no trouble putting it into the back of the net with her right foot. It marked her fourth-career goal as she brought her career points tally to 10.
Hanks picked up her eighth-career assist to go along with eight career goals. Her 24 career points for Wake Forest are the most by any active Demon Deacon after leading the team in 2023. Sophomore right back Dempsey Brown was credited with the secondary assist on the goal, the first goal contribution of her career.
In the 71st minute, junior Hannah Johnson continued her hot start to the season with her second goal of the campaign after junior Nikayla Small served it on a platter in front of goal as Wake Forest doubled the lead.
Johnson now leads the team with five points so far this season, which has already set a career high, and has a goal contribution in all three games so far to start the year. Small, who led the team with seven assists last year, now has 13 for her career and is now three away from cracking the top 10 in Wake Forest history.
Six minutes later, redshirt freshman Sierra Sythe bagged her first-career goal after a great bit of work from senior Emily Murphy set her up for the third goal of the evening. Additionally, Sythe earned her first-career start after a great showing last weekend against Army and Rutgers.
The fourth, and final, goal of the night came just 85 seconds later as Sythe put the ball into a dangerous area before junior Carly Wilson poked it past the keeper for her second-career goal.
The Demon Deacons dominated the ball throughout the contest and controlled 70 percent of the possession over the 90 minutes. Additionally, Wake Forest outshot Temple 38-to-2 (11-to-1 on-goal) and won 14 corners.
Wake Forest extended its unbeaten stretch at home to 10 games after an undefeated season at Spry last season and now holds a 12-2-5 at home since the start of 2022.
Additionally, it marked the most goals and shots in a game for the Deacs since the 6-0 victory over Iona last September.
Individually, senior Emily Colton led the team with six shots and was unlucky not to find the back of the net as she struck the post three times. She showcased plenty of skill in the midfield and going forward in her third game with the Deacs.
In goal, graduate transfer Paige Nurkin earned the start in her Wake Forest debut. She recorded the 13th clean sheet of her collegiate career.
Sophomore MJ Osborne made her collegiate debut in the 78th minute and played the remainder of the contest.
How It Happened
"It was a strong first half. We did everything but score. We hit the post three times and dominated the play. Emily Colton led us with multiple shots off the post and Caiya provided strong wide play. We scored early in the second half and controlled from then on. Displaying great 1v1 dribbling and created at least 10 legitimate chances. Sierra completed her comeback from injury by scoring a stunning goal and several dangerous crosses. I'm so happy for her. Our quality depth really showed tonight putting us in good position for our game Sunday."
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will remain at home for a ranked test against Mississippi State on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m.
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
The opening goal came two minutes into the second half when senior Anna Swanson found herself on the end of a great ball from junior Caiya Hanks at close range and had no trouble putting it into the back of the net with her right foot. It marked her fourth-career goal as she brought her career points tally to 10.
Hanks picked up her eighth-career assist to go along with eight career goals. Her 24 career points for Wake Forest are the most by any active Demon Deacon after leading the team in 2023. Sophomore right back Dempsey Brown was credited with the secondary assist on the goal, the first goal contribution of her career.
In the 71st minute, junior Hannah Johnson continued her hot start to the season with her second goal of the campaign after junior Nikayla Small served it on a platter in front of goal as Wake Forest doubled the lead.
Johnson now leads the team with five points so far this season, which has already set a career high, and has a goal contribution in all three games so far to start the year. Small, who led the team with seven assists last year, now has 13 for her career and is now three away from cracking the top 10 in Wake Forest history.
Six minutes later, redshirt freshman Sierra Sythe bagged her first-career goal after a great bit of work from senior Emily Murphy set her up for the third goal of the evening. Additionally, Sythe earned her first-career start after a great showing last weekend against Army and Rutgers.
The fourth, and final, goal of the night came just 85 seconds later as Sythe put the ball into a dangerous area before junior Carly Wilson poked it past the keeper for her second-career goal.
The Demon Deacons dominated the ball throughout the contest and controlled 70 percent of the possession over the 90 minutes. Additionally, Wake Forest outshot Temple 38-to-2 (11-to-1 on-goal) and won 14 corners.
Wake Forest extended its unbeaten stretch at home to 10 games after an undefeated season at Spry last season and now holds a 12-2-5 at home since the start of 2022.
Additionally, it marked the most goals and shots in a game for the Deacs since the 6-0 victory over Iona last September.
Individually, senior Emily Colton led the team with six shots and was unlucky not to find the back of the net as she struck the post three times. She showcased plenty of skill in the midfield and going forward in her third game with the Deacs.
In goal, graduate transfer Paige Nurkin earned the start in her Wake Forest debut. She recorded the 13th clean sheet of her collegiate career.
Sophomore MJ Osborne made her collegiate debut in the 78th minute and played the remainder of the contest.
How It Happened
- The Demon Deacons came out firing in the first half with three shots in the first four minutes of play.
- Caiya Hanks almost broke the deadlock early, as she cut inside from the right wing and forced the Temple keeper into a tough save that went behind for a corner in the eighth minute.
- In the 12th minute, Nikayla Small fired the Deacs' second shot on-goal of the evening.
- The in-form Hannah Johnson came close to bagging her second goal of the season as she headed the ball off of the post which eventually went behind for yet another Wake Forest corner.
- A great bit of skill from Emily Colton created just enough space for her to get a shot off from close range, but was unlucky as it struck the post.
- Over the first 25 minutes of play, the Demon Deacons outshot the Owls, 10-to-1 and 3-to-0 with shots on-goal.
- Emily Colton continued to shine as she nearly found the breakthrough three more times, while hitting the post twice more, in the first half.
- The match remained 0-0 as the teams headed into the locker rooms.
- Wake Forest outshot Temple, 18-to-1, in the first half and controlled 73 percent of the ball.
- Emily Colton led the team with six shots, with two on-goal and three striking the post.
- Wake Forest took the lead two minutes into the second half, as Caiya Hanks played a great ball into the box for Anna Swanson, who put it in the back of the net for her fourth-career goal.
- Hannah Johnson doubled the lead with her second goal of the campaign after Nikayla Small played a great ball right in front of goal.
- In her first collegiate start, Sierra Sythe bagged her first-career goal after a great bit of work from senior Emily Murphy set her up in the 77th minute.
- Sythe then played a ball into a dangerous area 85 seconds later, which Carly Wilson poked past the keeper to make it 4-0 Wake Forest.
- The Demon Deacons closed out the clean sheet victory and opened the home campaign in dominant fashion.
- Senior Emily Colton made her 70th collegiate appearance and third for the Demon Deacons and stunned throughout the contest.
- Kristin Johnson made her first start of the season and the 55th of her career for Wake Forest.
- Her 59 collegiate appearances in the old gold & black are the most by any active Demon Deacon.
- Goalkeeper Paige Nurkin made her first career start and appearance for Wake Forest.
- The graduate transfer from Columbia earned the clean sheet in her debut, the 13th of her collegiate career.
- Sierra Sythe made her first-career start after impressing in the first two outings against Army and Rutgers, grabbing an assist in Piscataway.
- The redshirt sophomore bagged her first-career goal in addition to her second assist in two games.
- Abbie Colton made her first start of the season for the Deacs, as her and her sister, Emily, controlled the midfield.
- Anna Swanson bagged the fourth goal of her career, which brought her career points tally to 10.
- Caiya Hanks, the 2023 points leader for the Deacs, now has three on the year with her assist on Swanson's goal. She now has eight goals and eight assists for her career for 24 total points.
- Dempsey Brown logged her first-career goal contribution with the secondary assist on Swanson's tally.
- With her goal, Hannah Johnson leads Wake Forest with five points and has a goal contribution in all three matches to start the season.
- Her five points already sets a new career high.
- Nikayla Small picked up her 13th-career assist on the goal and is now three away from moving into the top 10 in program history.
- Carly Wilson's tally to close out the scoring was the second of her career.
- Sophomore MJ Osborne made her collegiate debut.
- Wake Forest extended its unbeaten stretch at home to 10 games after an undefeated season at Spry last season and now holds a 12-2-5 at home since the start of 2022.
"It was a strong first half. We did everything but score. We hit the post three times and dominated the play. Emily Colton led us with multiple shots off the post and Caiya provided strong wide play. We scored early in the second half and controlled from then on. Displaying great 1v1 dribbling and created at least 10 legitimate chances. Sierra completed her comeback from injury by scoring a stunning goal and several dangerous crosses. I'm so happy for her. Our quality depth really showed tonight putting us in good position for our game Sunday."
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will remain at home for a ranked test against Mississippi State on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m.
Follow The Deacs
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | #GoDeacs
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Team Stats
TEMP
WFU
Goals
0
4
Shots
2
38
Shots on Goal
1
11
Saves
7
1
Corners
1
14
Fouls
4
14
Scoring Plays
Anna Swanson (1)
Assisted By: Caiya Hanks , Dempsey Brown
GOAL by WFU Swanson, Anna Assist by Hanks, Caiya and Brown, Dempsey.
46:35
Hannah Johnson (2)
Assisted By: Nikayla Small
GOAL by WFU Johnson, Hannah Assist by Small, Nikayla.
70:31
Sierra Sythe (1)
Assisted By: Emily Murphy
GOAL by WFU Sythe, Sierra Assist by Murphy, Emily.
76:01
Carly Wilson (1)
Assisted By: Sierra Sythe
GOAL by WFU Wilson, Carly Assist by Sythe, Sierra.
77:26
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
5
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's SoccerForward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
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