The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-3-3, 3-2-2 ACC) dropped their second ACC game of the season last night, falling to defeat against the Clemson Tigers (6-4-5, 3-3-2 ACC) at Historic Riggs Field. For the Deacs,
this result makes it 3 games without a win after their emotional victory against #9 Duke in Durham a few weeks ago, as well as dropping them to 2-3-1 on the road this season. This result also deals a blow to their ACC Tournament hopes, as they now sit 2 points off of the top 6 with 2 of their final 3 conference games coming against nationally ranked #1 Notre Dame #7 Florida State. Clemson meanwhile have joined the ACC Tournament race, pulling level on points with Wake and NC State in a tie 7th place with their third straight conference win. This game was a chess match between two teams with some title aspirations, and, in the end, Clemson was the team that did enough of the little things to come out with a win.
There was very little between the two sides in the first half, with the two teams combining for 6 total shots in the first 45 minutes. Wake may have had the best chance of the half early on, as, in the 9th minute, Sierra Sythe looped a corner kick into the penalty area. The service did not look dangerous initially, as it went behind most of Wake’s runners, but winger Chloe Burst was able to control the ball in the area and beat her defender off the dribble, then putting a ball across goal. It found its way onto the head of an unmarked Brooke Miller at the top of the 6 yard box, but Miller’s header went wide of the post for a goal kick. In the 17th minute, Clemson nearly found the breakthrough, as forward Anna Castenfelt was able to pounce on a poor touch from midfielder Dempsey Brown in Wake’s half, then sliding it across to her strike partner Juju Harris at the top of the box, but Harris’s effort from distance went right into the waiting arms of keeper Valentina Amaral. Amaral would be called upon again 10 minutes later, as, after Wake was able to repel a cross into the area, Castenfelt again claimed the loose ball, beat two Wake defenders with a cut inside, and curled a shot on goal that Valentina Amaral was just able to tip over with an acrobatic save. For the remaining 13 minutes of the half, though, there was very little action to speak of. A late Hannah Johnson cross into the box for Kylie Maxwell led to some havoc in the Clemson penalty area, but Maxwell’s header back into the middle was cleared by the Clemson defense before any Wake player could meet it. When the buzzer sounded, there was nothing separating the two teams on the scoresheet and little to separate them on the field.
The second half proved to be a lot more action packed than the first, as, in the first minute of play after the restart, Clemson midfielder Emily Brough got caught in possession by Wake midfielder Lola Ressler in her own third, leading to a quick Wake counter attack. Ressler slid the ball out wide to Kylie Maxwell, who was all by herself, but her first touch took her a bit too wide, and she could only direct her effort right into the hands of substitute goalkeeper Nona Reason. The ball bounced back out to Maxwell, but she was met by a Clemson defender, and the Tigers were able to clear their lines. Moments later, Clemson would threaten on the other end, as winger Natalie Brooks was able to take the ball up the left flank and find Juju Harris inside, who then played it over to winger Tatum Short on the opposite flank, who was all by herself. Short lobbed the ball across looking for her teammates, but her cross drifted towards goal and struck the far post, then coming out to Brooks at the penalty spot, who saw her shot kick saved by Valentina Amaral. In the 57th minute, the Deacs once again threatened from a corner kick, with Sierra Sythe putting a great ball into the area that was met powerfully by center back Sammi Wiemann at the top of the 6 yard box, but her effort would go wide of the goal. In the 69th minute, it was Juju Harris again causing issues for the Deacs, as Clemson was able to spring the freshman center forward in on goal after winning the ball near the halfway line, but center back Laine DeNatale was able to keep her wide, and her effort on goal, while well struck, would only sting the gloves of Valentina Amaral. Only 3 minutes later, though, Harris would break the deadlock. After Wake was able to half clear a cross from Natalie Brooks, the ball fell to midfielder Renee Lyles. As Wake’s defense looked to step up, they left Harris totally unmarked at the penalty spot, and, after Lyles lofted a ball into her, Harris made no mistake, bringing it down and slotting it into the bottom corner for her 6th goal of the season to give the Tigers the lead. It was some uncharacteristically poor defending from the Deacs, but it was great awareness from Harris to keep herself onside and finish the play.
From there, Clemson dropped into a deep block to secure the three points, and they did. In the 74th minute, Harris nearly had her brace, hitting a venomous shot towards goal from a wide angle, but it would only rattle the crossbar. The Deacs would get a couple of looks at goal late on, with Allie Flanagan heading a Sierra Sythe cross just wide of the post and Brooke Miller forcing a save at the near post from Nona Reason with a left footed effort from just inside the area, but, after Clemson’s goal, the Deacs couldn’t really break down the Tigers, and Clemson would comfortably see out the result after 18 minutes of organized and disciplined defending.
In the end, Clemson were certainly deserved winners on the night with how they played in the second half. This was their first time keeping a conference opponent off the scoresheet this season, and it was a well earned clean sheet for a young backline that is still finding its feet as a unit. The player of the match in this game, in my view, was the goalscorer Juju Harris, who, in addition to her goal, seemed to cause danger whenever she had the ball in Wake’s third. That said, it really was a great team performance that brought Clemson the three points, it was just Harris that scored the decisive goal.
The Deacs return to action next Thursday, 10/23, at Spry where they will take on the Pittsburgh Panthers. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM EDT, and the game will be broadcast on ACCNX/ESPN+.
