WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Late-game heroics again by Jon Bakero lifted No. 1 Wake Forest men's soccer to a 1-0 victory over Charlotte on Sunday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Championship at Spry Stadium.

With the game scoreless in the 83rd minute, Bakero headed home his eighth goal of the season to send Wake Forest to the third round of the tournament. The goal was set up on a beautiful cross from Ian Harkes along the right sideline. He sent the ball into the box where Bakero was waiting in front of goal and finished the chance, beating Charlotte goalkeeper Austin Pack to the left side.

Bakero's goal is his third game-winner of the season and seventh of his career. He was also the goal-scorer on Oct. 23 in the victory over Notre Dame, as the sophomore from Sitges, Spain, lifted Wake Forest over the Irish on a goal in the 87th minute.

The victory moves Wake Forest to 16-2-2 on the season while Charlotte's campaign ends at 11-6-3. The Demon Deacons now await No. 16 Indiana on next weekend in the Sweet 16. The win is Wake Forest's first NCAA Championship win since beating Navy 2-1 at home in the first round of the 2013 tournament. Next weekend's Wake Forest/Indiana contest will be played in Winston-Salem at Spry Stadium. Time and date of the game are still to be determined. Indiana beat Connecticut 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington to advance.

Overall, Charlotte outshot Wake Forest 12-11, marking the first time all season Wake Forest has been outshot by its opponent. The Demon Deacons only put four shots on target in the contest while the 49ers mustered seven. Both teams took four corner kicks in the game. The flow of the first half was marred by a combined 20 fouls between the two teams. In the end, five yellow cards were issued while the two teams combined for 34 fouls with Charlotte committing 20 to Wake Forest's 14.

Alec Ferrell made seven saves in the contest, the biggest coming in the first half when Charlotte's Brandt Bronico got loose for a one-on-one on the left side of the box. Ferrell rushed out and cut down Bronico's angle to make the save as it glanced off his left hand and went wide to the right. Ferrell made seven stops in the contest, tying his career high for the fifth time this season. He has now made seven saves seven times in his career with the Demon Deacons.

Game Notes
-While it's Wake Forest's first NCAA win since 2013, the victory is head coach Bobby Muuss's first NCAA Championship win in his third try after losing twice at Denver in 2013 and 2014. -Wake Forest is now 2-0 in games played after a loss. It beat Syracuse 3-1 after the loss to Elon on Sept. 15 and now the 1-0 result against Charlotte after falling to Notre Dame in the ACC Semifinals, 1-0.
-The goal by Bakero snapped a span of 172:13 without a goal for Wake Forest, dating back to Nov. 8 in the ACC Quarterfinals against Louisville.
-Bakero is now tied for the team lead with Jack Harrison, as they each have eight goals.
-Wake Forest is now 22-14-4 all-time in the NCAA Championship and 6-2-1 as the overall No. 1 seed.
-The shutout is Wake Forest's 11th of the year. Ferrell has posted seven of them. -On the previous three occasions as the No. 1 seed, Wake Forest has been bounced from the tournament in the third round twice (2002 in overtime, 2-1, against Clemson and in 2004, a 2-2 tie against VCU, the Deacs lost in penalty kicks.) The last time Wake Forest was the No. 1 seed, it went to the College Cup in 2008.
-Sunday's attendance at Spry Stadium was 2,699, moving the record-breaking season attendance to 38,193. The previous record was 29,296 set during 2007. 

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