The No. 2 North Carolina men's soccer team fell to No. 5 Wake Forest 1-0 in Winston-Salem for its first loss of the season on Saturday night.
The Tar Heels (11-1-1, 5-1-0 ACC) started off the game aggressively with an early shot on goal. But Wake Forest (10-1-2, 4-0-2 ACC) quickly matched UNC’s aggression, tallying two shots on goal shortly after and building up the pressure.
One of UNC’s best chances at scoring in the first half came in the 11th minute, when a shot by sophomore forward Alan Winn was deflected by Wake Forest redshirt junior goalkeeper Alec Ferrell.
The Demon Deacons were quick to deliver a fierce response.
On a Wake Forest fast break in the 17th minute, freshman midfielder Jack Harrison got around UNC’s defense with a quick pass to junior midfielder Jacori Hayes. Hayes was able to fire a shot into the back of the net, giving the Demon Deacons the lead.
Wake Forest went on to dominate the first half, out-shooting the Tar Heels 8-6. The Demon Deacons pressured redshirt first-year goalkeeper James Pyle, forcing him to make four saves in the first half.
In the 44th minute, senior midfielder Alex Olofson sent the ball into the box to Winn. But Ferrell was able to block Winn’s header. Just a minute later, UNC almost scored again. Winn found junior midfielder Colton Storm in the box, but the pass was intercepted by the defense.
Coming into the second half, UNC pressured Wake Forest, firing off three shots in the first five minutes. But from there, North Carolina’s intensity lagged and Wake Forest's defense took over.
With 15 seconds left in the game, the Tar Heels gained one final opportunity when a foul gave the Tar Heels a free kick within scoring distance. Junior midfielder Omar Holness took the kick, but his shot flew just inches above the goal. The final missed opportunity for UNC resulted in the loss of its undefeated record at the hands of Wake Forest.
