Partain Lifts Wake Forest Over Virginia
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Senior Hayden Partain notched his first goal of 2016 as No. 16 Wake Forest men's soccer earned a 1-0 overtime victory over No. 13 Virginia at Spry Stadium in ACC action on Saturday night.
In front of 3,275 fans, the Demon Deacons posted their fourth-straight win to move to 4-1-0 on the season and 1-0 in ACC play. The loss is Virginia's first of the season, falling to 2-1-1 on the year and 0-1 in the ACC. Though trailing the all-time series 36-12-7, Wake Forest is now 6-3-1 in the last 10 games against the Cavaliers.
Though Wake Forest dominated much of the contest, Virginia's back line did not break through the 90 minutes of regulation. Just 2:06 into overtime, Partain and the Deacs converted the first chance for either side in the extra session to win the game.
To setup the goal, Jon Bakero took a ball into the left corner of the penalty area and crossed toward the mouth of goal. Partain was crashing the goal and reached the cross just as his defender was looking to break up the chance. Partain got just enough of the ball to slide it between the left post and the keeper to give the Deacs the win. The goal is Partain’s sixth-career tally for the Demon Deacons, but marks his first game-winner.
Wake Forest controlled the contest most of the night. The Demon Deacons came out strong with eight shots in the first half to Virginia’s three. With time winding down on the frame, Wake Forest had a goal wiped off the board when Ema Twumasi was called for offsides. He had broken through the middle of the UVA defense and was one-on-one with the keeper, but thanks to the noise from 3,275 fans in attendance the official’s whistle was not heard until well after Twumasi had put the ball in the back of the net.
Throughout the second half, Virginia progressively started to earn more chances and ultimately outshot the Deacs 8-7 in the half, but the Demon Deacon defense stood tall to record their third-straight shutout. In the contest, goalkeeper Andreu Cases Mundet made a career-best five saves to earn his second shutout of the season.
Since allowing a goal to Justin Dhillon of Cal Poly 11:32 into the contest on Aug. 28, Wake Forest has gone 350:34 without allowing a goal. Overall, the Demon Deacons have allowed just 15 goals since head coach Bobby Muuss took over at the start of the 2015 season. Entering Saturday’s game, that figure was the fifth-fewest nationally.
Wake Forest returns to action on Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 7 p.m. The matchup against George Washington will mark the final game of a six-game homestand to open the 2016 season. The game is set to air on ACC Network Extra.
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