GREENSBORO, N.C. - Wake Forest's Kaley Fountain scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal in the 58th minute as the Demon Deacons held on to down UNC Greensboro in the Spartans' season-opener, 2-1 on Sunday night at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.
The loss snapped a 14-match unbeaten streak for UNCG (0-1) dating back to last season. Wake Forest improved to 2-0 on the young season.
With the match tied at 1 in the second half, Fountain took a short pass from senior Jill Hutchinson at the top of the 18-yard box and pounded it into the lower right corner to put the Deacs ahead for the first time on the evening.
Junior Jenn Partenheimer, who scored UNCG's lone goal on the evening, appeared to have her second tally of the evening with just under 17 minutes remaining, but the tying goal was waved off. Partenheimer deposited a free kick from about 20 yards out into the upper right 90 - much to the delight of the majority of the 865 fans in attendance - but the goal was disallowed because no one else touched the indirect kick.
UNCG had jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the contest, with Partenheimer taking a pass from Kristin Player at the top of the 18, cutting around a Wake defender and slotting a shot lower left past Wake Forest keeper Laura Morse in the sixth minute. Lauren Lopez also picked up an assist on the play, serving a free kick into the box to Player.
Lopez nearly made it a 2-0 score in the seventh minute, but her shot from inside 10 yards was blocked.
The Spartans made the lead stand for most of the first half, but the Demon Deacons found the equalizer just before halftime. Freshman Ally Berry sent a ball into the box from the right side that found the foot of Hutchinson, who took a few touches and put a shot past UNCG keeper Kelsey Kearney from about 6 yards out in the 43rd minute.
Hutchinson's score came just moments after her wide-open shot inside the box smacked off the right post.
Despite trailing for most of the first stanza, Wake Forest held a 10-5 shot advantage at the half.
The Deacs had a solid chance to make it a 3-1 affair late in the game, but Kearney came up with a phenomenal save to keep the game within reach for the Spartans. After an Allie Sadow takeaway at the top of the Spartans' box, Kearney made an outstanding kick save on Sadow's close-range, one-on-one shot in the 89th minute.
Wake Forest finished with a 19-7 shot advantage and took seven corner kicks to just three for the Spartans. Player led UNCG with three shots on the evening.
Morse picked up the win in the net for the Deacons, making two saves and allowing a goal in 90 minutes of work. Kearney took the loss despite a solid effort, making five stops and allowing two goals.
The Spartans are back in action at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, when they will face No. 16 Duke at the Carolina Nike Classic in Chapel Hill, N.C. UNCG will then take on No. 1 North Carolina at the tournament two days later, completing a run of three straight Atlantic Coast Conference schools to open the season.
AGATE
Wake Forest (2-0, 0-0 ACC) vs. UNC Greensboro (0-1, 0-0 SoCon)
Date: Aug 23, 2009 Attendance: 865
Weather: Partly cloudy, 79 degrees
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
Wake Forest 1 1 2
UNC Greensboro 1 0 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1 5:14 UNCG Jenn Partenheimer (1) (Lauren Lopez, Kristin Player) - from top of the box, slotted lower left
2 42:10 WF Jill Hutchinson (1) (Ally Berry) - cross from right into box, close range
3 57:23 WF Kaley Fountain (3) (Jill Hutchinson) - pass at top of box, lower right corner
Shots: Wake Forest 19, UNC Greensboro 7
Saves: Wake Forest 2 (Laura Morse 2), UNC Greensboro 5 (Kelsey Kearney 5)
