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The best team in the nation, and unanimous number one across all polls at the collegiate level flexed its muscles once again as the unbeaten and untied Wake Forest Demon Deacons defeated the Davidson Wildcats 5-1 to improve to 9-0-0 on the season.
This is the 19th straight win over Davidson in soccer. The five goals is a season high for Wake as well.
After a slow, methodical start, the Deacs got on the board first when a beautiful build-up of passes from Bruno Lapa and Logan Gdula from the wing found freshman Aristotle Zarris unmarked in the box. Zarris took care of it from there with a bullet into the back of the net.
Davidson responded quickly with a goal if its on to tie it up at 1 apiece off of a near post corner kick that lead to a great header by Stefane Zemmali.
Zarris’ goal was the 24th of the season for the Demon Deacs, and the third for the Sarasota, FL native. It would not be the last time Wake found the back of the net.
From there each team had a couple more threats, but no more goals were scored in the first half as the game entered the break at 1-1.
The second half started off like it was going to be all about the Wake Forest freshmen when Holland Rula scored his first goal as a Demon Deacon to get the lead back 2-1, but from there it was almost all Bruno Lapa.
The forward Lapa smoothly slotted in a penalty kick to make it 3-1after he took a high kick to the chest in the box, and then got the brace with under three minutes left on a tap in goal after a great pass by Machop Chol.
The final goal of the night came from another freshman in Koby Carr with under a minute left on an easy ball past the Wildcats keeper following an extremely unselfish pass from Fernandez.
Overall I think the team this year has more firepower across the board and is not as reliant on one guy up top to score. That was the downfall last year, and this year head coach Bobby Muuss has Bruno Lapa, Omir Fernandez, Aristotle Zarris, and a handful of other guys who can create in space, pass fluently, and finish at the net.
The defense, while at times has felt a bit disorganized and a bit of a weak spot, has come around after the first couple of games to shine as well.
It helps to have goalkeeper Andreu Cases Mundet between the posts too since he will almost assuredly finish his career with the best goals against average in school history (currently he is at a 0.51 GAA, with Brian Edwards in second at 0.78). Although his affinity for playing the ball with his feet could backfire in the future if he is not careful.
The win over Davidson tonight extends Wake Forest’s unbeaten streak in the regular season to 22 (last loss was a 2-1 defeat to Georgia State on September 5th, 2017). Under head coach Bobby Muuss the Deacs are an unbelievable 64-8-7, and have only lost four times in the regular season in just over three and a half years.
No. 1 Wake Forest hosts No. 9 Duke at Spry Stadium on Saturday night at 7 P.M., so if you have any energy after watching the Gridiron Deacs take on (and hopefully defeat) the Rice Owls, then head across the street to support our powerhouse soccer team. Admission is free, and your support will be very much welcome.