Saturday, August 31
Orlando, Fla.
7 p.m.
Wake Forest University
1-1-1, 0-0-0
1
at
1
UCF
1-0-2, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Wake Forest
0
1
1
UCF
0
1
1
Late Equalizer From Wake Forest Secures Road Point at No. 21 UCF
8/31/2024 10:28:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Deacs battled against their first ranked foe of the season, securing a road point with a 77th-minute equalizer.
ORLANDO, FLA. -- Facing one of the top teams in the country on the road, Wake Forest men's soccer (1-1-1, 0-0-0 ACC) drew 1-1 with No. 21 UCF (1-0-2, 0-0-0 Sun Belt) on Saturday night at UCF Soccer Complex.
Wake Forest and UCF were 0-0 at the halftime break, as senior goalkeeper Trace Alphin saved both of the Knights' attempts on goal in the opening 45 minutes. Despite UCF finding the contest's opening goal in the 54th minute, Wake Forest responded with a goal of its own in the 77th minute courtesy of freshman Pariss Mitchell who struck for the first time in his collegiate career.
Defensively, Alphin recorded three saves on the night.
Wake Forest will remain on the road for its next contest, facing Gardner-Webb next Friday at Greene-Harbison Stadium in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the 2024 season with a 3-2 victory over Houston Christian before drawing 1-1 with Incarnate Word.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
How It Happened
"The way the game went, I think it was a pretty good result for us. Similar to last Sunday, we did not want to fight from being behind, but we just played a very good UCF team. That was one of the best teams in the country last year and they are very good again this year. With the adversity that we're going through currently as a group, to come back on the road, and the way after we came back, where we weren't settling for a draw and we wanted to try to get the second; I'm extremely proud of the guys. We had guys make their first appearances. We had guys make their first starts. Guys played large minutes that haven't been used to playing those minutes yet in really crucial situations. So, I think overall it's a pretty good result. Obviously, I said to the team, 'Whenever we put that jersey on, we want to win,' but I think we won a little bit with our mentality, and the way we fought to the end."
Up Next
Wake Forest will face its fourth non-conference opponent of the season on Friday, Sept. 6 in the second meeting with Gardner-Webb in as many seasons.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
Wake Forest and UCF were 0-0 at the halftime break, as senior goalkeeper Trace Alphin saved both of the Knights' attempts on goal in the opening 45 minutes. Despite UCF finding the contest's opening goal in the 54th minute, Wake Forest responded with a goal of its own in the 77th minute courtesy of freshman Pariss Mitchell who struck for the first time in his collegiate career.
Defensively, Alphin recorded three saves on the night.
Wake Forest will remain on the road for its next contest, facing Gardner-Webb next Friday at Greene-Harbison Stadium in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the 2024 season with a 3-2 victory over Houston Christian before drawing 1-1 with Incarnate Word.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
How It Happened
- After UCF controlled most of the possession in the opening minutes, Wake Forest recorded the first shot of the match in the 15th minute as Babacar Niang's attempt inside the 18 went high.
- Just one minute later, Niang again faced UCF's keeper but it went just wide of the frame.
- Trace Alphin was tested with a 19th-minute shot from the Knights, but the senior keeper's extended effort kept the match scoreless.
- In the 44th minute, Alphin again faced a UCF shot inside the box, but a save and subsequent clearance by freshman Daniel Krueger ensured a 0-0 halftime score.
- Following a Knight counter, Alphin registered his third save of the evening, clearing a 49th minute shot.
- Between the 49th and 52nd minutes, the Deacs successfully thwarted five Knight corner kicks.
- UCF would take a 1-0 lead in the 54th minute.
- Junior Basit Umar found space at the top of the 18 for a 56th minute shot that was wide.
- Freshman Dylan Borso nearly found an equalizer in the 69th minute, but his shot to the bottom left corner of the goal was just saved.
- The Deacs created a strong opportunity in the 75th minute, but Niang's low-level shot just missed the frame.
- Wake Forest would, however, find the tying goal in the 77th minute as freshman Pariss Mitchell's shot from distance would beat UCF keeper Shane Wright.
- The goal marked the first of Mitchell's career as he became the fourth Deacon to score during the 2024 campaign.
- Graduate Colin Thomas earned his 35th career start.
- Senior Bo Cummins earned his 20th career start.
- Senior Babacar Niang earned his 20th career start.
- Freshman Daniel Krueger made his first career start, becoming the third first-year Deac to earn a spot in the Starting XI this season (Dylan Borso vs. VCU & UCF, Will Jackson vs. Central Arkansas).
- Senior Julian Kennedy made his 50th career appearance.
- Senior Nicolas Mancilla made his 20th career appearance.
- Sophomore Jeffrey White made his 20th career appearance.
- Junior Basit Umar made his Wake Forest debut, entering the match in the 31st minute. He would play 35 minutes in the contest.
- With the result, Wake Forest remains undefeated in the all-time series against UCF at 4-0-1.
"The way the game went, I think it was a pretty good result for us. Similar to last Sunday, we did not want to fight from being behind, but we just played a very good UCF team. That was one of the best teams in the country last year and they are very good again this year. With the adversity that we're going through currently as a group, to come back on the road, and the way after we came back, where we weren't settling for a draw and we wanted to try to get the second; I'm extremely proud of the guys. We had guys make their first appearances. We had guys make their first starts. Guys played large minutes that haven't been used to playing those minutes yet in really crucial situations. So, I think overall it's a pretty good result. Obviously, I said to the team, 'Whenever we put that jersey on, we want to win,' but I think we won a little bit with our mentality, and the way we fought to the end."
Up Next
Wake Forest will face its fourth non-conference opponent of the season on Friday, Sept. 6 in the second meeting with Gardner-Webb in as many seasons.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
Team Stats
WFU
UCF
Goals
1
1
Shots
14
16
Shots on Goal
3
4
Saves
3
2
Corners
2
7
Fouls
19
10
Scoring Plays
Sora Funakoshi (1)
Assisted By: Emmanuel Bam , Clarence Awoudor
GOAL by UCF Funakoshi, Sora Assist by Bam, Emmanuel and Awoudor, Clarence.
53:44
Pariss Mitchell (1)
GOAL by WFU Mitchell, Pariss.
76:19
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
mid
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Men's SoccerMidfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's SoccerForward
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Men's Soccer
Midfielder
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