Wake Forest Set For First Away Match of 2024 Season at No. 21 UCF

ORLANDO, FLA. – Wake Forest men's soccer travels to Florida this weekend to match up with one of the most talented teams in the country, facing No. 21 UCF on Saturday evening at UCF Soccer Complex.

Kick-off for the match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

The Matchup

Wake Forest and UCF will meet for the second time in three seasons, and for the first time ever in Orlando in Saturday night's clash.
The Demon Deacons enter the contest with a 1-1-0 record following a 3-2 comeback victory over Central Arkansas on Sunday.
In the victory over the Bears, the Deacs vaulted into the lead following Babacar Niang's first-career brace and Cooper Flax converting on the first penalty kick attempt of his Wake Forest tenure.
The Knights, meanwhile, are 1-0-1 on the early campaign, defeating Mercer in the 2024 opener before drawing 1-1 with current No. 11 Seattle.
Last season, Wake Forest earned its fifth ACC Atlantic Division title in nine years, most in the conference's divisional format, while UCF earned the school's first-ever No. 1 ranking and a national seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Last Time Out

Wake Forest secured its first victory following a 2-0 deficit since Sept. 3, 2006, when the Demon Deacons scored three second half goals to earn a 3-2 victory over Central Arkansas on Sunday evening at Spry Stadium.
Despite early activity in front of the Bears' net, the Deacs conceded goals in the 19th and 21st minutes to fall behind 2-0.
Continuing to trail out of the halftime break, Wake Forest was fueled by a six-minute offensive tear, highlighted by senior Baba Niang's first-career brace, to take a 3-2 lead in the 73rd minute before holding on for the team's first victory of the season.
In the match, freshman Will Jackson earned his first career start and fellow freshman Mason Sullivan made his collegiate debut. Senior Nicolas Mancilla also recorded a personal best 65 minutes of action.
Wake Forest would finish the night with 34 shots, most in a single match for the Deacs in the Bobby Muuss era, surpassing the 31 attempts against Winthrop on Sept. 6, 2022.

The First Ranked Challenge

Wake Forest will face its first ranked opponent of the 2024 campaign on Saturday night against No. 14 UCF.
Through the first two polls unveiled by the United Soccer Coaches, Wake Forest's 2024 regular season schedule features six teams that have already been ranked: Clemson, Syracuse, UCF, VCU, Duke and Virginia.

Scouting the Knights

UCF opened the 2024 season with a 3-1 victory over 2023 SoCon champion Mercer before a 1-1 draw with current No. 11 Seattle on Sunday evening.
Four different Knights have scored on the nascent campaign, including Lucca Dourado who was recently named as one of the 16 players to the Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List.
2022 American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team selection Juanvi Munoz continues to be a stalwart in goal for the Knights, as he's recorded six saves so far this season including a stop on a 79th-minute penalty kick.
Saturday's match will be the fifth in the all-time series, as Wake Forest holds a 4-0-0 record against the Golden Knights.
During the 2022 season opener, Wake Forest collected a hard-fought 1-0 victory as a second half Hosei Kijima goal proved to be the difference.

Looking Ahead

Wake Forest will remain on the road next weekend, next facing Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs on Friday, Sept. 6.
Kick-off from Greene-Harbison Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Wake Forest Set For First Away Match of 2024 Season at No. 21 UCF

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cooper Flax

Will Jackson

Hosei Kijima

Nicolas Mancilla

Babacar Niang

Mason Sullivan

Wake Forest Athletics

Wake Forest Set For First Away Match of 2024 Season at No. 21 UCF

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Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cooper Flax

Will Jackson

Hosei Kijima

Nicolas Mancilla

Babacar Niang

Mason Sullivan

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