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Jay Vidovich and the #1-ranked men's soccer team hosts Elon on Wednesday night at Spry Stadium.
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Deacons Put #1 National Ranking On the Line vs. Elon
Men's Soccer Hosts Phoenix at Spry Stadium on Wednesday
Oct. 22, 2002
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Wake Forest Hosts Elon as the Nation's New Number One Team
For the first time in school history, the Demon Deacons are the number one ranked team in all the land. They put that claim on the line on Wednesday when they host Elon (5-8-1) at Spry Stadium. Wake Forest (9-0-3) is looking for its tenth victory of the season, the ninth straight year in which Wake Forest reached that plateau.
The Deacons and Phoenix are meeting for the first time on the soccer field in 21 years. Wake Forest won meetings in 1980 and 1981 when Elon was known as the Fighting Christians.
Wake Forest comes off a 2-2 tie with fourth-ranked Clemson on Saturday night. Elon was also in action on Saturday, winning a 2-1 overtime thriller at home against Birmingham Southern.
The Deacons and the Phoenix have not played any common opponents this season although Elon has faced the same North Carolina team that Wake Forest will face on Saturday in Chapel Hill.
The Phoenix has played Coastal Carolina, the only other team in Division I that is still undefeated of as Wednesday.
Wake Forest Jumps to #1 in the Soccer Times Poll
For the first time in school history, the Wake Forest men's soccer program is the top-ranked team in the nation, according to the Soccer Times Coaches Poll.
Wake Forest, ranked third for the previous two weeks in that poll, tied with fourth-ranked Clemson over the weekend while last week's number one team, St. John's, tied Syracuse and UCLA defeated second-ranked Stanford. The Deacons have spent 15 straight weeks in the top 25 and in the top five of at least one poll for the last six weeks.
Five of the ACC's seven men's soccer schools are ranked in the Soccer Times top 25.
Oddly enough, the Deacons actually slipped from two to three in the NSCAA coaches poll and held steady at two behind St. John's in the Soccer America rankings.
Home Sweet Spry
Wake Forest brings a six-game home unbeaten streak into Saturday's contest. The Deacons are 15-2-1 at Spry Stadium over the last two years with a 5-0-1 ACC record. That includes victories over Maryland, Virginia, Duke, North Carolina, NC State and a tie against Clemson.
The Deacons have allowed just three goal in six home games this season.
Vidovich Eyes 100-Win Plateau
Deacon head coach Jay Vidovich, in his ninth year and already the school's all-time wins leader, would earn his 100th career victory on Wednesday night with a win against the Phoenix.
Last of the Unbeatens
Wake Forest is just one of two teams nationally to remain unbeaten through the games of October 20. After losses by Loyola Marymount and Bradley, only Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina are still undefeated this season.
Shutout Ends at 569 Minutes
Clemson accomplished what UNC Greensboro, Maryland, William & Mary, NC State and South Carolina couldn't: put a ball past the Deacon defense and goalkeeper William Hesmer.
After five-plus games without allowing a goal, the team's scoreless streak ended against Clemson at 569:31 minutes.
Just six minutes later, the Tigers struck again. The two goals were the most allowed by a Wake Forest team in any game this seasn. But the Deacons tightened the clamps after that and a new scoreless streak is officially underway. For the record, Wake Forest has now held its opponents scoreless for slightly less than minutes.
White Hot
Don't look now but junior Jeremiah White has picked up right where he left off in the 2001 season. After missing five of the team's first six games to injury, White has come back to play, and score a goal or hand out an assist, in each of his last six contests.
Despite playing in just seven of the team's 12 games, White is already the team's leading scorer with five goals and two assists for a total of 17 points. He led the ACC last year with 15 goals.
Best Starts
Through 12 games, the Deacons are off to the best start in school history. It is just the second time in school history Wake Forest has stayed unbeaten to this point. Last time it happened was 1999 when the Deacons opened with an 8-0-4 record. That group keep its unbeaten streak intact for 16 games. The 1991 Wake Forest team was 9-1-2 at this point.
If It Ain't Broke . . .
There has been little reason for head coach Jay Vidovich to tamper with his starting lineup this season. In fact, the only changes so far have been out of necessity. Eight players -- William Hesmer, Michael Parkhurst, Bobby Gehring, Brian Carroll, Vicente Bastidas, Justin Moose, Amir Lowery and Wiggy Saunders -- have started every game. Scott Sealy, James Riley and Ryan Caugherty have started 11 of 12, missing one start each due to injury.
Super Subs
There probably isn't another team in the country that brings as much talent off the bench as Wake Forest does. There definitely isn't a team in the country that brings as much scoring punch off the bench. In fact, five of the team's last eight goals, nine of the team's 22 goals overall, have been scored by reserves. Two of the team's top three scorers have not started a game this season.
Up Next:
Wake Forest can clinch a share of the ACC regular season title at UNC on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
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