The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-3-3, 0-3-1 ACC) dropped a third straight ACC game on Saturday night, falling to the #3 Stanford Cardinal (10-1-1, 4-1 ACC) by a 2-0 score at Spry. For the Deacs, their poor run of form continues, as, after a 4-0-1 start, they have now amassed a 1-3-2 record since their conference opener against UNC in Chapel Hill, with the sole win coming against the Liberty Flames. For the Cardinal on the other hand, their march towards an ACC regular season title goes on, as they sit
atop the table with a 4-1 record and 12 points, albeit with both Duke and Clemson in touching distance with games in hand. They also moved to 6-0 all time vs Wake and 5-0 at Spry with this victory, continuing their spell of dominance over one of the premier programs in the country. It was an open game throughout where both teams had their opportunities, but Stanford had the better of the game and, ultimately, were the more clinical of the two teams.
The first half was a fairly even affair, with Wake largely getting the better of the first 15 minutes. They were able to play through Stanford’s press and keep the ball up the field in dangerous positions, and their backline was much more effective at preventing Stanford’s transition opportunities than they had been in previous games. With that being said, they had little to show for their efforts in terms of chances and nothing to show in terms of goals. Following that positive start for Wake, Stanford had a spell of dominance and created plenty of mayhem in the Wake Forest box. In the 24th minute, the Cardinal thought they had their opening goal. Winger Fletcher Bank was able to get on the end of a long ball up the field, and, after fighting for possession with Wake defender Travis Smith Jr., he was able to take the ball into the area. He was met by midfielder Cooper Flax at the top of the box, who challenged Bank as he tried to play the ball across to a trailing runner. It would end up deflecting off of Flax’s boot into to the path of Zach Bohane near the six yard box, who rattled it home off of the crossbar. However, the play was flagged for offside, as Bohane was behind the last defender when the ball was played. Stanford claimed that it was an intentional play on the ball from Flax, which would have negated an offside call, but, after video review, the call on the field stood.
Following the review, Stanford were not daunted. Just minutes later, they nearly had their opener again. The Cardinal won a throw in up the field, and, after some quick interplay between Bohane and right back Will Cleary, Bohane was able to put the ball into the area. The initial header was met well by midfielder Alex Chow, who looped it towards goal and nearly out of the reach of Wake keeper Jonah Mednard, who was just able to get a hand to it. He could not come up with it on the way down, however, leaving the ball to drop inside the six yard area. It bounced right into the path of forward Alfonso Tenconi-Gradillas, who nodded it towards goal. It got past Mednard but not winger Tate Lorentz, who was able to boot it off the line. After this period of Stanford dominance, the game settled into more of a chaotic balance. The earlier spells of possession and control for either team gave way to what resembled hockey more than soccer, with both teams looking to play long and direct to take advantage of their transition moments. Stanford had a couple of late opportunities from just outside the area, with both Bohane and Tomo Allen putting their efforts from distance just over the crossbar. Wake nearly had the first goal of the game on a long shot from forward Ryan Belal, who let a shot fly from distance that, perhaps because of a deflection, dipped sharply and nearly snuck under the crossbar and into the net. Stanford keeper Rowan Schnebly was able to scramble back and keep the ball out, however, and, when the buzzer sounded to end the first half, the scores remained tied.
After the break, it was Stanford that had the better of proceedings. They were able to prevent Wake from getting out in transition, and, when Wake attempted to keep possession and play out of their defense, Stanford’s suffocating press began to cause them problems. In the 54th minute, Stanford nearly gained the lead again. After a beautiful passing move in Wake’s end, Zach Bohane got the ball at the top of the area, then laid it off to Will Cleary. Cleary took a couple of touches and set the ball up on his left foot, curling shot in low towards goal. Both Travis Smith Jr. and Stanford forward Trevor Islam looked to get a touch on the ball on its way through, but it ended up finding a space between the two of them. It seemed destined to nestle into the bottom corner, but Jonah Mednard was able to make an excellent reaction save to keep the score tied. However, in the 63rd minute, the dam finally broke. After a poor pass from Wake near midfield, Stanford was able to catch the Deacs out of shape. After breaking up the play, Palmer Bank played the ball ahead to Alex Chow, who quickly played it along to Trevor Islam in the middle of the field. Islam saw his forward partner Fletcher Bank running all by himself on the left flank and played a beautiful ball to him through the legs of center back Daniel Krueger. Bank strode into the area and made no mistake, sliding the ball between the legs of Jonah Mednard, who got a piece on the way through, but could not prevent the ball from going into the back of the net. This goal was also sent to the monitor for a video review, and it looked as if it may have been offside, but, it was very close and certainly difficult to change from the call on the field, so the goal stood and the Cardinal had their lead.
After the Stanford goal, Wake began to push forward and force the issue on the Stanford backline. In the 66th minute, the center official was once again called into action, as the Deacs had a penalty shout. Winger Tate Lorentz was able to navigate his way into the area, but went down under some contact from Stanford midfielder Jack Pymm. The official did not see enough in the challenge to award a penalty, however, and play restarted from a goal kick. In the 71st minute, Wake nearly found a road back into the game, as Amoni Thomas was able to get the better of Palmer Bank off the dribble and put a low driven ball across goal. Basit Umar was all by himself at the top of the six yard box, but he couldn’t make contact with the ball as it came across, leaving it to go out of play for a throw in. Shortly after, in the 77th minute, the Deacs had their best chance of the game. Zach Bohane had an opportunity to double Stanford’s lead after a lovely pass inside from Alex Chow, but center back Mason Sullivan was able to come across and block his shot and then head the ball clear from an ensuing cross. Some indecision from Stanford’s center backs on a seemingly harmless long ball from Amoni Thomas, which was more of a clearance after the previous passage of play, allowed forward Harvey Sarajian to win the ball and run all by his lonesome from the halfway line to goal. However, Will Cleary got on his horse, and he was able to catch up to Sarajian and block his shot attempt wide for a corner kick.
From the ensuing corner kick, Daniel Krueger was able to direct a header on goal, which proved to be awkward to deal with for the Cardinal, as Alfonso Tenconi-Gradillas nearly deflected the ball into his own net with his knee, but it ended up bouncing just wide of goal. The pressure continued to mount, as, just moments after Krueger’s header, the Deacs once again created an opportunity in the Stanford box. A brilliant give and go between Harvey Sarajian and winger Nico Rabiu sprung the latter into the penalty area from the right flank. Rabiu swung the ball across to an unmarked Cooper Flax about 12 yards from goal, but Flax misjudged the ball and was not able to direct an effort towards goal. In the 84th minute, a wonderful ball in behind from midfielder Basit Umar to Tate Lorentz in the penalty area offered the Deacs another look at goal, but Lorentz’s fizzed effort from a sharp angle flashed across the goal mouth and out of the penalty area. That proved to be the Deacs’ last chance to get something from this game. After a whiff in the 85th minute inside the six yard area on what would have been the dagger for the Cardinal, Zach Bohane made no mistake when presented with the same opportunity in the 86th minute, scoring a gorgeous backheel on a ball across from Fletcher Bank to secure all three points for Stanford. Despite the late push, when the final buzzer went, it would once again be the Cardinal pulling a win out at Spry.
In the end, this was a match that Stanford deserved to win, and they did. They controlled the majority of the game, they were more clinical in front of goal, and they had the resolve to see out the three points while under pressure. For me, the player of the match in this game was Zach Bohane. Bohane seemed to have a hand in most of the positive attacking moves that Stanford had, and, in the end, he added a magnificent goal to seal the three points. But you could have picked plenty of Stanford players for player of the match this game, with Will Cleary, Alex Chow, Trevor Islam, and, of course, Fletcher Bank, who scored and assisted, all playing well in a deserved win for one of the nation’s best sides.
For Wake, although I said this last week, the question remains: where do they go from here? Halfway through the conference slate, the Deacs sit joint bottom of the ACC with Pittsburgh. They have now lost back to back games for the first time since the 2023 season when they ended their year with a loss to UNC in their first ACC tournament game and then a loss in their NCAA tournament opener to Indiana. Barring a big run across the final 5 games plus the ACC tournament, the focus now has shifted from rejoining the top teams in the national rankings to securing a place in the NCAA tournament. With that being said, they do have a favorable schedule the rest of the way, as they will face 3 of the bottom 6 teams in the ACC in their final 4 conference games, and they will also host Wofford in their final non-conference game of the season. That being said, there are no easy games in this conference, and it will be far from a cakewalk for this Wake team from here on out, even with an “easier” schedule.
The Deacs will return to action on 10/11 in Berkeley, California against the Cal Golden Bears. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM EDT, and the game will be broadcast on ACCNX/ESPN+.
