Sports > November 20, 2008

By Connor Swarbrick | Sports editor

After finishing the regular season with a tough double overtime loss in the semifinals of the ACC tournament, the 18-1-1 Deacons men’s soccer team earned the No. 1 seed in the 2008 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.

The 2007 National Champions will receive a bye in the first round before beginning defense of their title Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Deacons, who earned home field through the quarterfinals, will face the winner of the William & Mary/Winthrop match.

The Deacons, who enter the tournament for the eighth straight season, have not lost in their last nine tournament games.

It is the third time in program history that the Deacs have earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

The Deacons will hit the practice field this week with the bitter taste of the loss to the Virginia Cavaliers (11-7-1) in the ACC Tournament still in their mouth.

The Deacons’ undefeated season and 24-game unbeaten streak was snapped Nov. 14 in the ACC Tournament semifinals when the Cavaliers scored on a penalty kick in double overtime to win.

Matt Poole beat Wake Forest junior keeper Akira Fitzgerald with 4:15 remaining in the second overtime period. Junior Nick Courtney was called for a foul on Virginia’s Brian Ownby inside the 18-yard box that led to the penalty kick.

The Cavs came out and executed well, disrupting the Deacons game plan. Both teams struggled with wet field conditions, failing to convert on several opportunities.

The first half was played to a stalemate.

The Deacs took the lead when senior Marcus Tracy scored from 15 yards out with 37:26 to play in the second half. Sophomore Corben Bone was credited with his 16th assist of the season on the play, extending his school record for most assists in a single season.

Virginia tied the match with 21:46 to play. The Cavaliers then took a 2-1 lead with just 8:26 to play when a Chase Neinken header beat Fitzgerald.

The Deacons didn’t panic. In the 89th minute, freshman Danny Wenzel knocked a loose ball into the net after a scramble in the Virginia box.

It appeared senior Lyle Adams miraculously scored a goal with just 18 seconds to play, but it was wiped out due to an offside penalty.

Each team had 18 shots in regulation. The first overtime was scoreless as was the second until the penalty kick that gave the Cavaliers a berth in the ACC Championship game, where they lost to Maryland.

The match marked senior midfielder Sam Cronin’s 94th game starting as a Demon Deacon. That mark made him the school record holder in that category. He passed last year’s keeper Brian Edwards, who now plays in the MLS.

Bone was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team, as announced after the conference championship game. Bone finished the conference tournament with a goal and an assist.

Wake Forest has been dominant all season, out-scoring its opponents 68-16 on the season and looks to continue that play as they enter the tournament.

The NCAA Tournament, which features the top 48 teams in the country, culminates with the 2008 College Cup at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas on Dec. 12 and 14.

“I think one of the things we have to do is keep playing as a team and staying positive, believing that we can make it,” Bone said.

“If we believe, I think we can accomplish getting to the Final Four in Texas.”