The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-3-4, 4-2-3 ACC) earned a big result on Sunday, playing to a 1-1 draw with the #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-0-2, 8-0-1 ACC) at Spry. This was a great result for the Deacs, and, although they are still behind the pack, it does keep them in the ACC Tournament hunt, as a win in their season finale at #11 FSU next week plus a loss from Cal, Louisville, or Virginia will push them up into one of the 6 tournament spots. For the Irish, this was only the second time they have
failed to win this season and their first time dropping points in conference, snapping a 12-game winning streak that began after a 2-2 draw with #6 Arkansas in Fayetteville on 8/17. This draw also allowed Stanford to pull level on points with the Irish in the race for the ACC regular season title, with both sides having an 8-0-1 record and 25 points heading into the final conference game of the season. This game felt like an NCAA tournament tilt throughout, and it was a test of endurance and will for both sides over the 90 minutes. In the end, neither team could do enough to take all three points from the other.
There was a tactical switch for the Deacs in this game, as they came out in a 4-4-2 formation rather than their typical 4-3-3. This is a formation that Wake utilized to great effect against #7 Duke in their only other top ten matchup of the season, and it yielded early dividends in this game as well. The Deacs controlled most of the early goings of the game, building brilliantly out of the back and into the Notre Dame’s end in possession and preventing the Irish from getting out in transition in their end. In the 19th minute, though, against the run of play, the Irish broke the deadlock. Notre Dame right wingback Morgan Roy was able to strip Wake left back Sierra Sythe of the ball in the Deacs’ third, then playing it ahead to striker Izzy Engle, who was striding into the penalty area. The ACC’s top scorer made no mistake, cutting inside of center back Sammi Wiemann and blasting it past keeper Valentina Amaral for her 17th goal of the season to make it 1-0 Irish. Shortly after the goal, Engle would go down injured after rolling her ankle badly while attempting a tackle on Sierra Sythe, and she would not return for the remainder of the game, which played a huge part in its final 67 minutes.
After their first goal, the Irish largely controlled proceedings, even with Engle out of the game, but they couldn’t create many great chances, and, when they did get a good look at goal, they couldn’t put the ball away. In the 32nd minute, the Irish had a golden chance, as midfielder Laney Matriano was able to lob a ball over the Wake defense and into the path of forward Ellie Hodsden, who was one on one with Valentina Amaral in the Wake goal. Hodsden didn’t realize how much time she had, though, and tried to lob Amaral from outside the penalty area, ballooning her effort well over the crossbar. Shortly after the Irish let that chance go by the wayside, the Deacs would respond. In the 35th minute, right back Brooke Miller would put what looked to be a fairly harmless cross into the area, and it was easily headed away by center back Carolyn Calzada. Her clearance fell right to the feet of Wake midfielder Carly Wilson, who settled the ball and struck a venomous shot at goal from well outside of the penalty area. Notre Dame keeper Sonoma Kasica was able to fight it off, but forward Elliana Ramirez followed the play in and put the rebound into the back of the net for her second goal of the season on just her 4th shot of the year. The play was reviewed for potential offside, and it was a razor thin call as to whether Ramirez had kept herself on, but the officials would stick with the call on the field, levelling the game at 1 goal apiece. The Irish nearly found an equalizer mere seconds later when a Sammi Wiemann challenge on midfielder Grace Restovich just inside the penalty area would deflect the ball into the path of an unmarked Randie Foor on the right side of the area, but Foor couldn’t direct her effort on target, blasting it wide of the near post. It was fairly even for the last 10 minutes of the first half, and neither team could create any clear cut chances. The Deacs continued to use their offside trap to great effect, holding the Irish offside 4 times in the first half, and Notre Dame was able to limit Wake’s outside players, who are almost always the drivers of the Deacs’ attack. When the buzzer sounded to end the first period, the score would still be tied 1-1.
In the second half, the Irish came out with renewed purpose and vigor, hemming the Deacs in their end. Wake were undaunted by this, however, and defended resolutely against the waves of Notre Dame attacks. In the 51st minute, Valentina Amaral was called into action, as Notre Dame left wingback Leah Klenke was able to find some space up the wing, getting on the end of a long ball and then playing it inside to Laney Matriano, who looked to curl one into the goal from outside the area, but Amaral was able to get across and make a fine stop, catching it before it could nestle into the top corner. She was called into action again in the 55th minute, as forward Annabelle Chukwu would find some space in Wake’s end and exploit it, carrying the ball from near midfield to the top of the area, setting up a shot on her right foot from inside the D, but Amaral was able to get down to her left and catch Chukwu’s effort. Despite spending most of the half in their own end, the Deacs were not total without chances. In the 65th minute, Wake caught the Irish off balance after a corner kick, with Amaral rolling it out quickly for the Deacs to go on the counter. After some passes up the right flank, forward Alex Wood played an inch perfect ball over the defense and to the top of the area for Chloe Burst, who was able to direct her effort past Sonoma Kasica, but just wide of the far post. From the ensuing goal kick, Notre Dame would go right up the field and nearly take the lead again, playing through the back and finding Annabelle Chukwu near midfield, who took a touch and then put Ellie Hodsden in on goal with a beautiful pass through the Wake defense. Hodsden shrugged off a challenge from Sammi Wiemann to go one on one with Valentina Amaral, but she would lose her footing after taking a touch around Amaral, who swung and missed at the ball and then collide into Hodsden. The referee said to play on, but, after the ball went out of play, he would go to the monitor to review the collision for a possible penalty kick. It was a very clumsy challenge from Amaral, but the referee ultimately decided not to give a penalty, as the momentum from Hodsden’s fall had carried her into the challenge from Amaral, making it more of a coming together than an unfair tackle in the eyes of the official.
As the game went down the stretch, the Irish continued to push for a winning goal, and the Deacs continued to turn them away. In the 71st minute, Notre Dame midfielder Grace Restovich was able to win the ball from Wake forward Hannah Johnson near midfield, then sending a ball in behind for Annabelle Chukwu. Before she could get a shot away, though, center back Tahlia Zadeyan was able to range back and get a touch on the ball ahead of her, clearing it out of the area before Chukwu could even get a touch. As the game neared its close, in the 87th minute, both teams had an opportunity to take all three points. First, it was the Deacs charging up the other end, as Notre Dame’s back line got caught too high up the field, and a long ball over the top found its way to the feet of winger/forward Allie Flanagan, who went in on goal. Her first touch took her a bit wide, but she was able to direct a shot on goal. Sonoma Kasica kicked her effort away, though, and from there the Irish went on the counter. Morgan Roy took the ball upfield, then playing it inside to midfielder Lily Joseph, who sprayed it back outside to Grace Restovich. Restovich sized up her defender and then put a ball through for Ellie Hodsden in behind the defense. Amaral once again came out to challenge Hodsden, who once got a touch ahead of the Wake keeper. Hodsden’s effort deflected off of Amaral’s legs and towards the goal, looking destined to win the game for the Irish, but the shot would rattle the post and come back out, with center back Laine DeNatale clearing the ball out of the goal mouth to eliminate the danger. The Irish would continue to push on for a winner in the game’s waning moments, but they couldn’t find one, and the Deacs were able to see out a draw against the nation’s best team.
While it may not have been the most helpful result to the Deacs’ ACC Tournament hopes, this was a game that showed that the Deacs could go toe to toe with any team in the country. For player of the match, there are a lot of options. For the Irish, both right wingback Morgan Roy and Laney Matriano were spectacular throughout the game, putting up marvelous two-way performances, including an assist for Roy. The Deacs on the other hand got excellent performances from Sierra Sythe at left back, who had an extremely game defensively, and Tahlia Zadeyan at center back, who came off the bench and had a few critical interventions during her time on the field. For me, though, the player of the match in this game was Valentina Amaral. Amaral made several critical saves in this game and did plenty that didn’t show up on the stat sheet, showing great command of her area and claiming any Notre Dame crosses that found their way into the box. It was a big time performance from her in a spot where the Deacs really needed it, and it helped deliver them a point against the nation’s very best.
The Demon Deacons return to action on Thursday, 10/30, in Tallahassee against #11 FSU. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM EDT, and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
