Thursday, September 18
Winston-Salem, N.C.
7 p.m.
Wake Forest University
8-1-1, 2-0-0
2
vs
1
Virginia Tech
4-5-2, 0-3-0
1
2
F
Virginia Tech
1
0
1
Wake Forest
2
0
2
Photo by: Seth Seebaugh / Wake Forest Athletics
No. 16 Demon Deacons Pick Up Three Points Against Virginia Tech
9/18/2025 10:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Wake Forest is now 2-0-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The No. 16-ranked Wake Forest women's soccer team (8-1-1, 2-0-0 ACC) continued its perfect start to ACC play with a 2-1 victory over Virginia Tech (4-5-2, 0-1-2 ACC) on Thursday evening at Spry Stadium.
After the Hokies took an early lead in the seventh minute, Wake Forest quickly responded with goals from senior forward Hannah Johnson and freshman forward Kylie Maxwell within the first 15 minutes.
Johnson found the equalizer in the 14th minute as she got her head on the end of a great corner from redshirt sophomore Sierra Sythe and found the bottom left corner of the net for her first tally of the season. Just 27 seconds later, Maxwell put the Demon Deacons in front with a goal on the counter attack created by a great ball over the top from senior midfielder Carly Wilson.
It marked Maxwell's fourth goal of the season which moves her in a tie for the team-lead with sophomore Lola Ressler and fellow freshman Allie Flanagan. The Langhorne, Pa.-native has also chipped in four assists on the year and leads the squad with 12 total points.
With her assist on the first goal, Sythe has now recorded an assist in four-consecutive matches and has six already in 2025. Of note, she has logged at least one goal contribution in eight of Wake Forest's 10 games this season.
Senior forward Alex Wood made her season debut and went 18 minutes against the Hokies.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Valentina Amaral came up with three massive saves in the second half and kept the Deacs in front. The Oviedo, Fla.-native picked up her 20th-career win and holds a stellar 20-4-4 record over the last three years.
Wake Forest has now started 2-0-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017 and is tied for second in the conference with six points. Additionally, the Deacs are one of just four remaining teams that remain perfect in ACC play, joining Florida State (3-0-0), Virginia (1-0-0) and Notre Dame (2-0-0).
The Demon Deacons also remained undefeated at home this season as they moved to 7-0-1 at Spry Stadium this season.
How It Happened
Demon Deacon Details of Note
From Coach da Luz
"I'm super proud of our group for a gritty ACC performance. Virginia Tech had us in trouble early, with the early strike and had several corners against us. We worked our way out of it to take the lead 2-1 and defended with commitment for the rest of the game. Val had another great performance and the back four was locked in. It proves that this team has pride and grind for precious ACC points. We've got a big test at Boston College on Sunday."
Up Next
The Demon Deacons kick off a three-game road stretch beginning this Sunday at Newton Campus Soccer Field against Boston College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the contest will be streamed on ACCNX.
After the Hokies took an early lead in the seventh minute, Wake Forest quickly responded with goals from senior forward Hannah Johnson and freshman forward Kylie Maxwell within the first 15 minutes.
Johnson found the equalizer in the 14th minute as she got her head on the end of a great corner from redshirt sophomore Sierra Sythe and found the bottom left corner of the net for her first tally of the season. Just 27 seconds later, Maxwell put the Demon Deacons in front with a goal on the counter attack created by a great ball over the top from senior midfielder Carly Wilson.
It marked Maxwell's fourth goal of the season which moves her in a tie for the team-lead with sophomore Lola Ressler and fellow freshman Allie Flanagan. The Langhorne, Pa.-native has also chipped in four assists on the year and leads the squad with 12 total points.
With her assist on the first goal, Sythe has now recorded an assist in four-consecutive matches and has six already in 2025. Of note, she has logged at least one goal contribution in eight of Wake Forest's 10 games this season.
Senior forward Alex Wood made her season debut and went 18 minutes against the Hokies.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Valentina Amaral came up with three massive saves in the second half and kept the Deacs in front. The Oviedo, Fla.-native picked up her 20th-career win and holds a stellar 20-4-4 record over the last three years.
Wake Forest has now started 2-0-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017 and is tied for second in the conference with six points. Additionally, the Deacs are one of just four remaining teams that remain perfect in ACC play, joining Florida State (3-0-0), Virginia (1-0-0) and Notre Dame (2-0-0).
The Demon Deacons also remained undefeated at home this season as they moved to 7-0-1 at Spry Stadium this season.
How It Happened
- The Hokies opened the match on the front foot and took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute.
- Maxwell got the Deacs going offensively with a pair of shots from distance over the next five minutes.
- Wake Forest found the equalizer in the 14th minute, as a perfect corner taken by Sythe found the head of Johnson, who snuck it past the keeper for her first goal of the season.
- Sythe recorded her team-best sixth assist on the tally.
- Just 27 second later, a beautiful ball over the top from Wilson set Maxwell free on goal before she pounced on her own rebound and gave Wake Forest a 2-1 lead.
- The Demon Deacons didn't let up after taking the lead as Flanagan intercepted a pass along the backline and set herself up for a good look at goal, but missed the net just wide.
- Maxwell and Sythe forced the Virginia Tech keeper into her first saves of the evening in the 26th and 29th minutes.
- In the 33rd, Ressler played a great ball across the face of goal to Flanagan at the far post, but the keeper made a tough foot-save and kept the match within a goal.
- Wake Forest went into the locker room leading, 2-1.
- Shots between the two sides were even at nine apiece, but the Demon Deacons led, 6-to-1, in shots on-goal.
- The Demon Deacons started the second half pushing for an insurance goal with Johnson and Sythe registering shots in the first five minutes.
- Virginia Tech increased the pressure as the second half went on, but two massive saves from Amaral in the 55th and 61st minutes kept the Deacs in front.
- Wake Forest defended well over the final half hour and only allowed the Hokies to take two more shots despite the continued pressure.
- Amaral made her third and final save of the night in the 85th minute.
- The Demon Deacons earned their second ACC win of the season and defeated the Hokies, 2-1.
Demon Deacon Details of Note
- With her goal in the 15th minute, freshman phenom Kylie Maxwell is now tied for the team lead with four goals. The forward has also added four assists on the year for a team-high 12 points.
- She is now one assist shy of being tied for fifth in program history in single-season assists for a freshman.
- Of note, the last freshman to reach five assists in a season was Nikayla Small in 2021.
- Hannah Johnson's header in the 14th minute marked her first goal of the season and eighth of her career.
- She last found the back of the net in the regular season finale last season against NC State (Oct. 31).
- Continuing her incredible start to the season, redshirt sophomore defender Sierra Sythe added yet another assist to bring her total to six on the season, the most on the team.
- It marked her fourth-consecutive game with an assist as she has now recorded at least one goal-contribution in eight of Wake Forest's 10 games so far this season.
- With eight regular season matches remaining, she is already just one shy of being tied for 10th in program history in assists for a single season.
- Valentina Amaral recorded her 20th-career victory in goal with just four losses and four draws over the last three years.
- Wake Forest is also undefeated in its last 12 home matches dating back to a 3-0 victory over Big Four foe NC State on Oct. 31, 2024.
- Senior forward Alex Wood made her first appearance of the season as she entered in the 35th minute.
- Freshman Elliana Ramirez made her 10th career appearance in the 30th minute.
- Graduate student Sophie Faircloth made her 50th career appearance in the 40th minute.
From Coach da Luz
"I'm super proud of our group for a gritty ACC performance. Virginia Tech had us in trouble early, with the early strike and had several corners against us. We worked our way out of it to take the lead 2-1 and defended with commitment for the rest of the game. Val had another great performance and the back four was locked in. It proves that this team has pride and grind for precious ACC points. We've got a big test at Boston College on Sunday."
Up Next
The Demon Deacons kick off a three-game road stretch beginning this Sunday at Newton Campus Soccer Field against Boston College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the contest will be streamed on ACCNX.
Team Stats
VT
WFU
Goals
1
2
Shots
17
11
Shots on Goal
4
7
Saves
5
3
Corners
10
7
Fouls
10
3
Scoring Plays
Natalie Mitchell (4)
GOAL by VT Mitchell, Natalie.
06:02
Hannah Johnson (1)
Assisted By: Sierra Sythe
GOAL by WFU Johnson, Hannah Assist by Sythe, Sierra.
13:56
Kylie Maxwell (4)
GOAL by WFU Maxwell, Kylie.
14:23
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's SoccerForward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's SoccerForward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's SoccerDefender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
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Matt Barrie SportsCenter at Wake Forest with Demond Claiborne
Wednesday, September 10
Matt Barrie SportsCenter on Wake Forest Campus (Arnold Palmer Complex)
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