WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The fifth-ranked Wake Forest menâs soccer team was defeated 2-0 by 17th-ranked Virginia on Saturday night in the ACC opener for both teams. The Deacons drop to 2-3 on the season. The setback is Wakeâs first regular season home loss since November 8, 1998 when top-ranked Clemson defeated the Deacs 1-0.

As expected, the game was a physical battle with 37 fouls called and nine cards being issued on the night, 25 of those fouls and seven of those cards to the Cavaliers. Virginiaâs Kyle Martino was ejected in the 57th minute after picking him up his second yellow card but the Deacs couldnât capitalize on the man-advantage. Leading by a goal, the Cavaliers bunkered down and prevented Wake Forest from stringing together scoring opportunities.

Although the Deacons outshot Virginia 5-2 in the half, it was the Cavaliers who held possession for most of the first half. The Deaconsâ best chance came with less than three minutes left in the first half. Aaron Thomasâ floater appeared to be destined for the top of the net but Cavalier goalkeeper Kyle Singer tipped the ball just over the crossbar.

Virginia scored the gameâs first goal shortly into the second half when reserve forward Ryan Gibbs laced a right-footer that initially appeared to be floating wide. The shot came from 23 yards to the right of goalkeeper Rob Vartughian and bent into the top far corner of the cage.

The Cavaliers scored in the insurance goal with 20 minutes remaining on Gibbsâ second of the night. Gibbs controlled the ball along the endline in the penalty area and fired a shot from a tricky angle into the net. The two-goal lead proved to be insurmountable as the Deacs lost back-to-back games for the first time since the end of the 1998 season..

Virginia did something tonight that the good teams do. They scored a goal in the first five minutes of a half. But that wasnât the goal that really won the game. It was the second goal, the insurance goal, that put it out of reach. Even with a man down, we werenât able to come back,ä head coach Jay Vidovich said. ãWe need to do a better job of keeping possession of the ball and putting shots on goal.ä

Wake Forest looks to turn things around on Wednesday night on the road at UNC Wilmington. The Deacons next action at Spry Stadium comes against South Carolina on Saturday Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m.