Sports > January 17, 2008

By Connor Swarbrick | Asst. sports editor

They had a phenomenal freshman, terrific depth, solid senior leadership and major contributions from unexpected players. Through hard work, determination and dedication all of the stars for the Deacons meshed to form the best soccer team in the country by winning the 2007 College Cup.

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The men’s soccer team celebrates its National Championship with the trophy in Cary, N.C. The team beat Ohio State 2-1 to claim the title. (Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Media Relations)

The Deacons were No. 1 in the country for much of the year, but they had only one objective. That goal was to win a National Championship.

Head Coach Jay Vidovich repeatedly remarked after each game that the only way to accomplish that was to get a little bit better every day, the “one game at a time” approach.

It worked. The goal was accomplished when Wake defeated Ohio State 2-1.

The Deacons took the field in front of a sold- out crowd of more than 8,000 to compete for a National Championship Dec. 16 on a clear but chilly day at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. To win the Deacs’ first ever National Championship the Deacons would have to defeat Ohio State (17-3-5).

Often overshadowed by their other accomplished athletic teams, Ohio State has emerged as a soccer power under Head Coach John Bluem.

The Buckeyes hadn’t lost in 15 contests and boasted a defense that allowed only 18 goals in 25 games this season. However, the Buckeyes had never beaten the Deacons in four previous meetings. The Buckeye defense was sure to face their toughest challenge yet against the Deacons who had a goal differential of plus 52.

Both teams came out aggressively and had opportunities early, but it was the Buckeyes who struck first. Roger Espinoza netted a goal just 13 minutes into the match.

After a scramble on a corner kick redshirt senior goalkeeper Brian Edwards dove for a ball that ricocheted off the goal post.

Espinoza took the rebound and put it through the legs of junior Jamie Franks. The Buckeyes were 14-0-2 this season when striking first.

The Deacons controlled possession for much of the first half despite being out shot 12 to three. The Buckeyes packed in the defense to hold the Deacons scoreless.

“There was no reason to attack if we were winning,” Espinoza said.

“We thought we already had the game won. We didn’t need the second goal. We were just going to play and whatever happened, go with that. We just made a couple mistakes.”

With nine minutes remaining in the first half sophomore Zach Schilawski took a shot to the chest from a Buckeye defender, but it was not called a foul. Out of frustration Schilawski got a yellow card less than a minute later.

Though it didn’t happen often this year, trailing at halftime had not yielded good results in the past. The Deacons had never won in 2007 when heading to the locker room with a deficit.

“We knew if we kept putting good balls that it would turn for us and we would get the bounces and the break,” Edwards said.

“With the way coach believes in us he just makes us believe in ourselves and gives us the up most confidence. When he had us in the huddle everybody knew we were going to get that other goal and we were going to go on and be able to win this.”

The Deacons showed poise and continued to be aggressive. In the 67th minute the Deacons got on the board.

Sophomore Cody Arnoux kept a ball alive along the sideline and sprinted towards the Buckeye goal.

He sent the ball to a slashing junior Marcus Tracy who put the ball in the back of the net to tie the contest at 1-1.

“Over the course of the year Coach has told me to be confident in what I do that I have the skills that it takes to put away balls like that,” Tracy said.

“I just kept my head on the ball and tucked it away in the corner.”

After the tying goal, the game became very physical with both teams vying for their first National Championship.

There were 37 fouls in the contest and six yellow cards.

With just 12 minutes remaining in the contest, a ball was sent from deep in the Deacons’ end to Tracy who streaked down the side and beat two Buckeye defenders.

Dribbling toward the center, he fed Schilawski, who netted the goal to put the Deacons up 2-1.

Schilawski, a Cary native, grew up just five minutes from the College Cup site.

“Luckily Marcus did the work and the ball bounced my way. I saw the keeper coming after the ball a little bit and I knocked it in,” Schilawski said.

Just minutes later, Espinoza got a yellow card for a high kick. His cleat landed in the face of senior Julian Valentin.

The Deacons played the next several minutes a man down as Valentin was forced to remain on the bench with face bleeding.

With five minutes remaining, Tracy missed an open net that would have secured a victory.

However, the Deacon defense remained staunch.

With 1:30 remaining, Ohio State had a corner kick, but a leaping Edwards snatched the ball and a National Championship for the Deacons.

A College Cup semifinal appearance in 2006 and now the National Championship help define Wake Forest as a soccer power.

The Deacons also shed the notion that they collapse in post-season play.

“I am proud of my team and their maturity to come back from a goal down; it’s just a great feeling,” Vidovich said.

The Deacons advanced to their first ever appearance in the NCAA finals with a 2-0 victory over ACC rival Virginia Tech (14-4-5).

After a scoreless first half, Tracy netted a header off of a free kick from junior Sam Cronin in the 51st minute.

Unmarked Tracy leapt high into the air to land a spectacular header past the Tech goalkeeper just inside the near post.Tracy landed another goal in the 83rd minute teaming up with sophomore Zach Schilawski.

Tracy’s efforts earned him Most Outstanding Offensive Player and Edwards earned the defensive equivalent.

Individual awards would continue to be bestowed upon the Deacons.

Senior Pat Phelan and Cronin earned Soccer America First Team MVPs. Freshmen Ike Opara and Corben Bone were First Team All-Freshman. Bone was also named the Soccer America Freshman of the Year. Phelan was NSCAA First Team All-American, while Cronin made the second team and Arnoux the third team.

Valentin, Phelan and Edwards, who completed their Wake Forest careers by defeating the team they earned their first win against in 2004, recently competed in the MLS combine and are now awaiting the MLS SuperDraft Jan. 18.

It was a record-setting season for the Deacons, but perhaps the lasting image will be the team huddled around the trophy posing for their picture.

Down in front is a blooded but beaming Valentin face as he clutched the National Championship trophy.It is a symbol for all that the soccer team stands for.

They put their team ahead of themselves and believed in doing whatever it took to accomplish their goal.

Valentin was the epitome of that. Through all the pain, he felt sheer joy for what he and his team had just accomplished.