No. 19 Wake Forest Finishes Regular Season With 1-0 Win at No. 8 Virginia
Deacons finish season with 5-5 ACC record

Nov. 2, 2008

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Amy Smerdzinski's goal in the 60th minute lifted No. 19 Wake Forest (12-6-0, 5-5-0 ACC) to a 1-0 victory at No. 8 Virginia (12-4-2, 6-3-1 ACC) on Sunday afternoon at Klockner Stadium.

"It was a great win," head coach Tony da Luz said. "Our team really executed the gameplan and played really tough. On the goal we scored, Allie (Sadow) made a great cross and Amy (Smerdzinski) scored another big time goal."

With the victory, Wake Forest clinches the sixth seed in the ACC Tournament and will once again battle Virginia in the first round of the conference tournament on Wednesday. The time for Wednesday's game will be announced on Monday.

The Wake Forest defense was solid throughout the game, holding Virginia to only seven shots and one shot on goal. Coming into the game, the Cavaliers were averaging just less than 19 shots a game.

"We really made it difficult for them to get through the crowd in the middle of the field," da Luz said. "We did a good job on their attacking midfielders and really were able to slow down their offense."

The Deacons only managed three shots in the game and only one shot on goal. Wake's first shot of the game didn't come until the 48th minute when Amanda Howell sent a shot high.

Junior goalkeeper Laura Morse made one save in goal en route to recording her sixth shutout of the season.

With the game scoreless in the 60th minute, the Wake Forest offense notched the only goal of the game. Junior forward Allie Sadow crossed the ball from near the endline on the right side of the field. The ball found Smerdzinski inside the 18-yard box and her one timer found the back of the net. The goal was the fifth of the season for Smerdzinski.

"Amy's leadership ability and her clutch play is coming through now," da Luz added. "She's taking the responsibility for the team's success on her shoulders. Everyone has stepped it up over the last couple of the games, but Amy has really been leading the way."

The Virginia offense was able to put pressure on the Deacon defense late in the game, taking three corner kicks in the final eight minutes of the game. Jess Rostedt nearly scored the equalizer with 30 seconds remaining in the game, but her shot sailed wide and time expired as Wake Forest held on for the victory.

Neither team was able to get much going in the first 45 minutes of play. Only three shots were attempted in the first half, all by Virginia. The Cavaliers had their best chance of the first half in the last 20 seconds of the half as Amanda Stewart took a shot from the right side of the 18-yard box, but Wake Forest goalkeeper Laura Morse was able to make a diving save to keep the game scoreless.

The victory for Wake Forest was just the second for the Deacons in Charlottesville. Virginia still leads the overall series 11-5-2.