WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Old Dominion women’s soccer suffered a 1-0 defeat to #11 Wake Forest on Sunday afternoon at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"The team performed well against a very good Wake Forest," said ODU head coach Will Roberts. "They have a lot of talent and it’s very tough to come here and get a result, unfortunately the game was decided by a free kick. I think the team did everything that was asked of them to come here and get a result, although it was a loss I feel as though this group took a step in the right direction today."
The Demon Deacons (4-0) scored the lone goal of the game in the 68th minute directly from a free kick taken by Sierra Sythe. ODU’s (1-3) Ashlynn Kulha dragged down WF’s Allie Flanagan just outside the penalty box, and Sythe placed her shot into the bottom right corner to beat ODU’s Ellie Goodrich, 1-0.
Wake Forest almost went up 2-0 against the Monarchs 11 minutes later. In the 79th minute, WF’s Lola Ressler fired a shot at goal that caused a pile up in front of it that WF’s Kylie Maxwell slotted home. However, ODU’s Katie Lutz was judged to have been fouled in that action by the video assistant referee (VAR), and play reset with a goal kick by Goodrich.
Old Dominion had the first chance of the afternoon to go ahead in the first half. At the third minute mark, Riley Mullen was fed through on goal thanks to a pass from Madison Telmer but the Staten Island, New York native couldn’t slot the ball past WF’s Lizzie Thorton. ODU’s next chance came in the 35th minute from Dylan McEntarfer. The second-year defender from Virginia Beach, Virginia was on the receiving end of a free kick taken by the halfway line from Kulha. She connected with her header and generated good contact, but the shot was off target.
The Monarchs first shot of the second half came in the 52nd minute, Laura Klebek capped off a sustained period in the WF final third with an outside the box shot that flew off the mark. Old Dominion’s final chances of the afternoon came in the 82nd and 84th minute. Hannah Morgan connected on a header from a free kick delivery sent in by Koto Davis. Morgan’s shot was heading to the top left corner, but Thorton saved it with her fingertips to stop the Monarchs from securing an equalizing goal. Davis connected on a shot in the 84th and fired it towards the bottom left corner but Thorton made the stop as the game ended, 1-0.
"We wanted a difficult schedule to test ourselves against the best," said Roberts. "Three games have been decided by one goal, the next step for this group is to get over the line in these big games and moments, but I’m proud of our team."
Old Dominion was outshot by the Demon Deacons, 29-5 and WF held a 8-1 advantage in corner kick attempts. ODU had three of their five shots connect with the target, and the Demon Deacons had nine shots on goal.
ODU’s Kulha, Lutz, McEntarfer, and Sydney Somers were the four outfield players to clock a full 90 minutes on the pitch. Wake Forest’s Tahlia Zadeyan, Dempsey Brown, Taylor, Sythe, and Sammi Wiemann all played 90 minutes.
ODU’s Goodrich made seven saves in the losing effort and brings her record in net this season to 1-3. WF’s Thorton made her first collegiate start and made three saves in 90 minutes.
UP NEXT:
Old Dominion returns to Norfolk, Virginia to face #2 Duke at the ODU Soccer Complex on Thursday, August 27 at 6 p.m.