WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest used a pair of second-half goals to slip past UNCG, 4-2, in women's soccer action from Spry Stadium Wednesday night. With the win, the Demon Deacons improve to 9-0-0, while the Spartans fall to 4-4-0. The victory was the 100th all-time for the Wake Forest program.
"I am more than pleased with tonight's effort," said head coach Eddie Radwanski. "We played one of the best teams in the country and hung right with them. They are an experienced and talented squad, but we proved that we can play at this level."
After an exciting, up-tempo first half, Wake Forest ended any hope of a UNCG victory midway though the second stanza. Meagan Mullins struck at the 50:11 mark. UNCG goalkeeper Angie Rudy was not able to handle a cross from the left-wing and Mullins took advantage with her first goal of the season. Sarah Kozey capped off the win with a goal at 67:25. Winstead added the assist.
The Demon Deacons struck first in the game's opening minutes. Katherine Winstead caught UNCG goalkeeper Jennifer Stillman off the goaline with a beautiful shot from the top of the penalty box at 3:48. Alli Hunt and Alena Thom teamed on the goal. It was Winstead's team-leading sixth goal of the season.
The Wake Forest lead was short lived as the Spartans quickly countered with a pair of goals in a 10-minute span. UNCG, which was quite dangerous on the counter attack in the first-half, was awarded a corner kick following Erin Reagan's great save of a Jaime Ableman (So./Corvallis, OR) blast. Jennifer Kennedy (Sr./Summerfield, N.C.) got on the end of Ableman's corner kick at 8:12 and headed the ball past a sprawling Reagan for her first goal of the season.
The Spartans went ahead following Cara Hammond's (Fr./Howell, N.J.) sixth goal of the year. Shannon Alger (Fr./Denville, N.J.) played a great ball behind the Demon Deacons defense. Hammond sprinted onto the ball and slid it past an oncoming Reagan at 19:09.
Winstead equalized at the 35:23 mark. The junior striker buried her second goal of the match and seventh of the year. Winstead again found space at the top of the penalty area and rifled it into the lower far corner of the net. Gali Leib picked up the assist.
"We want to win these games, but we also use them to learn and get better," said Radwanski. "Now, we need to focus on this weekend. We have two huge league matches. Both Chattanooga and Western Carolina are quality sides."
UNCG returns to action this weekend for the Carrabba's Soccer Spectacular. The Spartans open the weekend with Western Carolina, Friday night at 7 p.m. UNCG clipped the Lady Catamounts, 2-1, in double overtime in last season's Southern Conference Tournament title game.
The Spartans close the weekend with a Sunday afternoon tilt against Chattanooga. Kick-off at UNCG Soccer Stadium is set for 2 p.m.
- UNCG -
