WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Wake Forest men’s soccer team lost 1-0 to visiting No. 8 North Carolina on Friday, September 16 at Spry Stadium after a header goal in the 58^th minute proved to be the difference in a tightly-contested match.

The Deacs outshot the Tar Heels 13-12 on the night and had more quality opportunities than their opponent, but could not dent the net as the team record dropped to 2-3-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. The setback also snapped a three match unbeaten streak and ended a season-opening six match home stand.

In the first half, a massive crowd of 4,062 had the chance to take in some tremendous back-and-forth soccer play from both sides.

"[These types of games] are definitely something you dream of when you're getting recruited," said junior goalkeeper Michael Lisch, who made three stops in front of a crammed Spry Stadium crowd. "You get in the locker room and you're really psyched to play. It's the culmination of so much hard work and to have the support of all the other athletes and the school and community, it's great."

The Deacs nearly capitalized in the first ten minutes when freshman Teddy Mullin broke free from the UNC backline and created his own shot, forcing Tar Heel keeper Scott Goodwin to make a play to save a goal.

Another close miss came in the 33rd when junior defender Anthony Arena rose up above the pack, on a corner by sophomore Luca Gimenez, and fired a bullet off his head narrowly above the cross bar.

Junior Ben Newnam, who buried a goal against Cleveland State on Wednesday with just 31 seconds left before halftime, had another excellent opportunity to put the Deacs’ up heading to the locker room.

Goalkeeper Michael Lisch initiated the sequence on a throw-in to sophomore defender Tolani Ibikunle, who passed to the halfway line where classmate Chris Duvall took off into the attacking third and crossed to a trailing Newnam. The touch shot by Newnam went just wide to keep the score at nil for both sides.

Carolina’s dynamic forward, Billy Schuler, created three opportunities for the Tar Heels in the opening half, but only one attack was on frame. The redshirt junior snuck into the box after beating a defender, but Lisch was able to snuff out the attack by stepping up on Schuler. Lisch was credited with three saves on the evening and made two sensational stops going one-on-one with North Carolina attackers.

"With each game I'm feeling more and more comfortable," Lisch said. "I think the biggest thing is the guys in front of me stepping up and cutting down angles. I'm just trying to have their back and do my job."

In the second half, UNC found pay dirt first in the 58th minute off a touch corner by Kirk Urso and Ben Speas that found a leaping Jordan Gafa in dangerous territory.

The Deacs continued to press hard and would get off four more shots in the ensuing minutes, but could not bury one. The match came to a close on a suspense-laden corner by Gimenez with four seconds remaining. Gimenez launched the ball and found redshirt junior Danny Wenzel, but the header attempt missed just wide of the near post.

Wake Forest will hit the road for its next two matches, traveling first to South Carolina on Friday, Sept. 21 for a 7 p.m. tilt.

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