After a compact, organized defensive effort from Syracuse held Wake Forest scoreless in the first half, the Demon Deacons came out for the second 45 minutes with a spark. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, one-touch passing between Giovanna DeMarco and Abby McNamara sent Estelle Laurier free down the right flank.

Laurier unleashed a first-time cross that zoomed across the face of SU’s goal and to Bri Carney, who flicked it into the net to break the scoreless deadlock. Carney’s strike was the first of three second-half goals as Wake Forest (8-7-1, 4-5 Atlantic Coast) outlasted Syracuse (3-14, 0-9), 3-0, on Sunday afternoon at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The defeat extended SU’s losing streak to 12 games.

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Just as it did on Oct. 18 against No. 6 Virginia, Syracuse crammed all 11 players behind the ball to start the game. While the tactic repelled the Demon Deacons’ attacks, it meant SU had no outlet when kicking the ball upfield. Most of the Orange’s clearances went straight to opposing defenders.

While much of the first half was spent in Syracuse’s defensive half, the Orange mustered two shots in its few ventures forward. SU’s Meghan Root nearly provided the breakthrough in the 15th minute when her left-footed strike was tipped onto the crossbar and out of play by Wake Forest goalkeeper Nonie Frishette.

Despite the home team’s constant moves forward with crosses and through balls, SU’s defense held strong. For the first time since Sept. 23 against Louisville, the Orange did not allow a first-half goal.

Syracuse couldn’t stop two moments of quality from Wake Forest in the second half, though. First, it was quick combination play between four players that set up Carney’s goal. Less than 12 minutes later, Bayley Feist doubled the Demon Deacons’ lead with a thunderous strike from 20-plus yards out.

Feist picked up the ball on the left side of the field, drove to her right and laced the ball across her body and into the top left corner beyond SU goalkeeper Jordan Harris’ outstretched right arm. Harris faced 18 shots in total (seven on target) and made four saves, but the redshirt senior could do little about Feist’s pinpoint strike.

With one minute remaining, Feist tallied her second goal of the game, running straight through the middle of SU’s defense before finding the top left corner again.

Syracuse will play its final game of the season on Thursday when Clemson visits SU Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m.

Published on October 21, 2018 at 3:15 pm

Contact David: ddschnei@syr.edu