Thursday, September 25
Durham, NC
7 p.m.
Wake Forest University
9-1-2, 3-0-1
3
at
2
Duke
6-3-1, 1-3-0
1
2
F
Wake Forest
1
2
3
Duke
0
2
2
Photo by: Bryce Mitchell / Wake Forest Athletics
No. 19 Wake Forest Upsets No. 9 Duke at Koskinen Stadium
9/25/2025 10:51:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Deacs' last regular-season victory in Durham was on Sept. 23, 2010.
DURHAM, N.C. -- In a tightly contested battle, the No. 19-ranked Wake Forest women's soccer team (9-1-2, 3-0-1 ACC) remained unbeaten in ACC play and defeated the No. 9-ranked Duke Blue Devils (6-3-1, 1-3-0 ACC) Thursday night at Koskinen Stadium.
Bolstering an already incredible rookie year, freshman Kylie Maxwell put the Deacs on the board in the 21st minute with a feed from senior Carly Wilson. In just her third game back from injury, senior Alex Wood notched a secondary assist on Maxwell's strike, marking the first of the season for both Wood and Wilson.
The Demon Deacons headed into the locker room leading at halftime; however, the Blue Devils would have a response in the second half to take the lead.
Wake Forest found their way back into the game in the later stages of the half and would find an immediate answer to counter the Duke attack.
In the 69th minute, redshirt-sophomore Sierra Sythe crossed a fantastic ball that found senior Alex Wood open in front of the net to tap in and tie the contest at 2-2. Just four minutes later, Sythe once again went cross-zone to find freshman Kylie Maxwell, who sent the ball to senior Hannah Johnson to head in for the lead.
With Maxwell and Sythe's assists on the game-winning goal, they both reached prestigious milestones in Wake Forest women's soccer history.
Now with five total assists this season, Maxwell is tied for fifth among freshmen in program history for most assists in a single season. Meanwhile, Sythe brought her season assist total to eight and is now tied for sixth in program history for single-season assists. Two assists in the contest also marked a career-high for the Long Beach, Calif.-native.
Freshman Single Season Assists
Most Assists in a Single Season
The victory over the Blue Devils marks the third all-time win at Koskinen Stadium. Their first and only other regular-season road victory in the series was on Sept. 23, 2010. In 2021, Wake Forest defeated Duke in the first round of the ACC Championship to log their second all-time win in Durham.
With 10 points in ACC play, Wake Forest sits tied atop the conference table with Florida State. Additionally, this marks the Deacs' best start to a conference campaign since 2011.
How It Happened
"This win tonight is great for our resume. Beating Duke in Durham is an especially difficult thing to do. They are a quality team and our kids executed the game plan to perfection. The goals we scored were high quality and our team defended with commitment to close out the win. I am incredibly proud of our entire team and staff. I have the best staff in the country and a hungry team. Go Deacs!"
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will head back down Tobacco Road for their final Big Four contest of the regular season against the NC State Wolfpack on Thursday, Oct. 2 at Dail Soccer Field. The contest will be streamed nationally on ACCN with kickoff at 7 pm.
Bolstering an already incredible rookie year, freshman Kylie Maxwell put the Deacs on the board in the 21st minute with a feed from senior Carly Wilson. In just her third game back from injury, senior Alex Wood notched a secondary assist on Maxwell's strike, marking the first of the season for both Wood and Wilson.
The Demon Deacons headed into the locker room leading at halftime; however, the Blue Devils would have a response in the second half to take the lead.
Wake Forest found their way back into the game in the later stages of the half and would find an immediate answer to counter the Duke attack.
In the 69th minute, redshirt-sophomore Sierra Sythe crossed a fantastic ball that found senior Alex Wood open in front of the net to tap in and tie the contest at 2-2. Just four minutes later, Sythe once again went cross-zone to find freshman Kylie Maxwell, who sent the ball to senior Hannah Johnson to head in for the lead.
With Maxwell and Sythe's assists on the game-winning goal, they both reached prestigious milestones in Wake Forest women's soccer history.
Now with five total assists this season, Maxwell is tied for fifth among freshmen in program history for most assists in a single season. Meanwhile, Sythe brought her season assist total to eight and is now tied for sixth in program history for single-season assists. Two assists in the contest also marked a career-high for the Long Beach, Calif.-native.
Freshman Single Season Assists
| Rank | Team | Total Assists | Year |
| 1. | Lindsey Griffin | 8 | 1999 |
| T2. | Karli Schiling | 7 | 1996 |
| T2. | Alison McPheely | 7 | 1996 |
| 4. | Anna Shropshire | 6 | 1996 |
| 5. | Kylie Maxwell 8 others tied at 5 |
5 | 2025 |
Most Assists in a Single Season
| Rank | Team | Total Assists | Year |
| 1. | Caiya Hanks | 12 | 2024 |
| 2. | Elizabeth Remy | 11 | 2005 |
| T3. | Anna Shropshire | 10 | 1998 |
| T3. | Stefanie Matthews | 10 | 1998 |
| T3. | Kaley Fountain | 10 | 2009 |
| T6. | Sierra Sythe | 8 | 2025 |
| T6. | Emily Murphy | 8 | 2024 |
| T6. | Katie Stengel | 8 | 2011 |
| T6. | Katie Stengel | 8 | 2013 |
| T6. | Kristen Meier | 8 | 2011 |
| T6. | Lindsey Griffin | 8 | 1999 |
| 10. | 17 athletes tied at 17 | 7 | – |
The victory over the Blue Devils marks the third all-time win at Koskinen Stadium. Their first and only other regular-season road victory in the series was on Sept. 23, 2010. In 2021, Wake Forest defeated Duke in the first round of the ACC Championship to log their second all-time win in Durham.
With 10 points in ACC play, Wake Forest sits tied atop the conference table with Florida State. Additionally, this marks the Deacs' best start to a conference campaign since 2011.
How It Happened
- Wake Forest showed grit in the early moments of the match, recording the first shot on goal of the contest in the third minute.
- Freshman Kylie Maxwell launched a ball from outside the box, but the Duke keeper was there to make the save.
- Redshirt-sophomore Valentina Amaral made her first save of the night in the fourth minute as she leaped high to shove the ball away from the net.
- The Oviedo, Fla.-native was called into action once again in the fifth and sixth minutes, but swiftly corralled the ball to record back-to-back saves.
- The Demon Deacons broke through the Blue Devils' defense in the 21st minute.
- Senior Carly Wilson tapped the ball over to freshman Kylie Maxwell, who forced the Duke goalkeeper out and left Maxwell to find the back of the net for her fifth of the season.
- Seniors Alex Wood and Carly Wilson each snagged their first points of the year with assists on the strike.
- Duke continued to pressure the Deacs into the later stages of the first half, but the Demon Deacon backline held firm.
- All four starters on the Wake Forest defense went the full 90.
- Wake Forest entered the second half leading Duke 1–0.
- The Blue Devils tested Amaral right out of the break with two consecutive free kicks.
- Duke found the equalizer in the 48th minute.
- Just a minute later, sophomore Chloe Burst responded with her first attempt on target of the night, but the Duke keeper kept the contest drawn.
- The Blue Devil offense held pressure throughout the half and found its way to the back of the net in the 62nd minute; however, the goal was overturned after being found offside.
- Duke took the lead in the 65th minute.
- With contest square, Wake Forest looked to their seniors for an answer and in the 69th and 72nd minutes, the Deacs found it.
- Sythe set up a beautiful cross to Wood, who snuck the ball past the keeper to tie the contest back up.
- Just three minutes later, Sythe set up another beautiful sequence and found Maxwell on the opposite side of the zone and found the head of Johnson directly in front of the net to give Wake Forest the lead.
- With the primary assist, Maxwell is now tied fifth in freshman single-season assists. Additionally, Sythe is now tied sixth among the program for most assists in a single season.
- The Langhorne, Pa.-native also tied a career-high three points with her first half strike and assist on Johnson's goal.
- Duke called Amaral into action one final time in the 11th minute of the contest but the Deacs' keeper latched on for her fourth save of the night.
- The Demon Deacons held on for the 3-2 victory over the Blue Devils.
- Redshirt-sophomore Valentina Amaral made her 30th career start.
- Redshirt-sophomore Sierra Sythe made her 30th career start.
- Freshman Tahlia Zadeyan made her fifth career start.
- Junior Dempsey Brown made her 40th career start
- Sophomore Chloe Burst made her fifth career start.
- Freshman Kylie Maxwell recorded her fifth career goal in the 21st minute.
- Maxwell tied a career-high with three points with a goal and an assist.
- Seniors Carly Wilson and Alex Wood logged their first points of the season on Maxwell's strike.
"This win tonight is great for our resume. Beating Duke in Durham is an especially difficult thing to do. They are a quality team and our kids executed the game plan to perfection. The goals we scored were high quality and our team defended with commitment to close out the win. I am incredibly proud of our entire team and staff. I have the best staff in the country and a hungry team. Go Deacs!"
Up Next
The Demon Deacons will head back down Tobacco Road for their final Big Four contest of the regular season against the NC State Wolfpack on Thursday, Oct. 2 at Dail Soccer Field. The contest will be streamed nationally on ACCN with kickoff at 7 pm.
Team Stats
WFU
DUKE
Goals
3
2
Shots
8
18
Shots on Goal
5
6
Saves
4
2
Corners
2
7
Fouls
5
7
Scoring Plays
Kylie Maxwell (5)
Assisted By: Carly Wilson , Alex Wood
GOAL by WFU Maxwell, Kylie Assist by Wilson, Carly and Wood, Alex.
20:06
Kat Rader (7)
Assisted By: Mia Oliaro
GOAL by DUKE Rader, Kat Assist by Oliaro, Mia.
47:38
Julia Saunicheva (1)
Assisted By: Mia Oliaro , Devin Lynch
GOAL by DUKE Saunicheva, Julia Assist by Oliaro, Mia and Lynch, Devin.
64:36
Alex Wood (1)
Assisted By: Sierra Sythe
GOAL by WFU Wood, Alex Assist by Sythe, Sierra.
68:54
Hannah Johnson (2)
Assisted By: Kylie Maxwell , Sierra Sythe
GOAL by WFU Johnson, Hannah Assist by Maxwell, Kylie and Sythe, Sierra.
71:03
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
2
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's SoccerForward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's SoccerDefender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's SoccerWake Forest Football | Georgia Tech Trailer
Friday, September 26
Hannah Johnson scores the go-ahead goal
Friday, September 26
Goal by Alex Wood
Friday, September 26
Kylie Maxwell gives the Deacs the lead
Friday, September 26