Deacons Earn No. 3 Seed In ACC Tournament
Women's soccer faces North Carolina State in quarterfinals Thursday.

Nov. 3, 1999

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's soccer team, ranked 15th in the nation this week by the NSCAA, will face NC State in the quarterfinals of the 1999 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Thursday at 1 p.m. at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, NC.

The Deacons are seeded third in the tournament after wrapping up the regular season with a 4-3 ACC record, while the Wolfpack is the #6 seed after posting a 1-4-2 league mark. The matchup between the two teams will be the first of four quarterfinal games on Thursday. Other first round pairings are #2 Maryland vs. #7 Duke (3 p.m.), #1 North Carolina vs. #8 Florida State (6 p.m.) and #4 Clemson vs. #5 Virginia (8 p.m.).

The Deacs are under the guidance of head coach Tony da Luz, the 1998 ACC Coach of the Year.

DEMON DEACON FACTS

1999 Record: 13-5, 4-3 ACC
National Rank: #15 (NSCAA)
Head Coach: Tony da Luz
Record at WF: 37-20-3 (3rd yr)
Career Record: 83-62-6 (8th yr)
Assistant: Kelly Walbert

A GLANCE AT THE DEMON DEACONS
The Wake Forest women's soccer program, now in its sixth season of competition at the varsity level, has made a name for itself on the national level as one of the country's elite programs. The Demon Deacons have been ranked among the nation's top 25 teams and earned invitations to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three seasons. Head coach Tony da Luz has assembled a squad comprised of a number of key veterans plus a talented freshman class while looking to lead the Deacs to their fourth consecutive NCAA playoff appearance this fall.

THE WAKE FOREST LINEUP
GK - sophomore Erin Regan ... started 15 of 18 games and owns a solid 0.78 GAA ... leads the ACC with a .879 save percentage and ranks 3rd in the league in GAA and shutouts (4 solo) ... 1999 first-team All-ACC.

F - freshman Joline Charlton ... the 1999 ACC Rookie of the Year and a second-team all-ACC pick ... leads the Demon Deacons in goals (8) and points (21) ... scored two goals in her first collegiate outging (vs. South Carolina).

F - sophomores Emily Taggart ... 1999 first-team All-ACC selection ... third on the team with five goals and 15 points ... the 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year.

M - senior forward Anne Shropshire ... ranks second on the team with six goals and 16 points ... Wake Forest's career leader in goals (27), assists (27) and points (81).

M - sophomore Sarah Kate Noftsinger ... three goals and one assist in 1999.

M - junior Rachael Lewis ... scored game-winning goals in ACC wins over Clemson and Florida State ... three goals and two assists in 1999.

M - freshman Katie Johnson ... started all 18 games ... one goal and one assist this fall.

D - sophomore Stacy Roeck ... second-team All-ACC honoree.

D - senior Karli Schilling ... 76 career games played with 15 goals and 14 assists.

D - junior Colleen Bradley ... started all 18 games this fall ... one goal scored.

D - freshman Liz McDowell ... started all 18 games ... scored the game-winning goal at Air Force ... younger sister of North Carolina All-ACC midfielder Rebekah McDowell.

Off the Bench - freshman midfielder Lindsey Griffin, leads the squad with eight assists ... freshman defender Gabi Lieb, played in 17 games this fall.

ACC TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Wake Forest will be making its sixth appearance in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in 1999. The Deacons own an all-time tournament record of 2-4-1 in five previous appearances.

The Demon Deacons were eliminated by North Carolina in the first round in 1994, the first year of the program, by a score of 9-0 while Wake Forest dropped its quarterfinal matchup with NC State in 1995 by a score of 3-1.

The Deacs recorded their first ACC Tournament win in the 1996 quarterfinals when they defeated Duke, 3-2. Among current players, seniors Karli Schilling and Anne Shropshire each tallied assists in that contest. Wake Forest went on to fall to Clemson in the semifinals, 2-1, with Shropshire again recording an assist in the game. Both Schilling and Shropshire were named to the all-tournament team.

Wake Forest and Duke played to a 2-2 tie in the 1997 quarterfinals in Winston-Salem. Trailing 1-0 late in the game, Christie Melby scored the game-tying goal with just seven minutes left in regulation. Schilling then gave the Deacs a 2-1 lead in the non-sudden death overtime, but Duke rallied to tie the score and force the game to penalty kicks. Although the game was officially declared a draw, Duke advanced to the semifinals via PK's, 4-3.

The Deacons picked up their second tournament victory in last year's quarterfinals in Orlando with a 2-1 win over Maryland. Trailing 1-0 in the second half Stacy Roeck tied the score at 1-1 in the game's 74th minute while Shropshire added a dramatic game-winning goal with just 0:05 left in regulation. The Demon Deacons fell in the semifinals, however, to eventual champion North Carolina, 2-0.

Individual Career Statistics in the ACC Tournament

Player	GP	G	A	Pts
Anne Shropshire	5	1	2	4
Karli Schilling	5	1	1	3
Christie Melby	3	1	0	2
Stacy Roeck	2	1	0	2
Rachael Lewis	3	0	1	1

THE DEMON DEACONS VS. NC STATE
Wake Forest and NC State will be meeting for the eighth time on Thursday afternoon, with the Wolfpack holding a 5-2 lead in the seven previous meetings. However, the Demon Deacons have won each of the last two games played between the schools.

Earlier this season in Raleigh, Wake Forest topped NC State by a score of 3-1. After a scoreless first half, freshman midfielder Katie Johnson scored her first career goal to give the Deacs a 1-0 lead, while senior Anne Shropshire made the score 2-0 just two minutes later. Sophomore Emily Taggart made the score 3-0 before NC State's Laura Scott added a late second-half goal to make the final score 3-1.

CHARLTON NAMED 1999 ACC ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Freshman forward Joline Charlton was selected as the 1999 ACC Rookie of the Year after a vote of the league's eight head coaches, becoming the second Wake Forest player in as many years to win that honor (Emily Taggart won the same award in 1998). Charlton appeared in all 18 games during the regular season, making 17 starts at the forward position.

Charlton leads the Demon Deacons with eight goals and 21 points this fall, ranking among the ACC leaders in each of those categories as well. She got her career off to a good start by scoring two goals in her first collegiate appearance, a 5-0 win over South Carolina.

FOUR DEACONS NAMED TO ALL-ACC SQUAD
Wake Forest is well represented on this year's All-ACC team as sophomore midfielder Emily Taggart, sophomore goalkeeper Erin Regan, freshman forward Joline Charlton, and sophomore defender Stacy Roeck were all elected to the 22-member team by a vote of the league's eight head coaches. Taggart and Regan were each placed on the first team, while Charlton and Roeck both earned second-team honors.

After earning second-team All-ACC honors and being named the ACC Rookie of the Year in 1998, Taggart is following that up with an outstanding sophomore season. Despite missing nearly five matches with an injury, she still ranks among the team leaders with five goals and 15 points this fall, and she becomes the first Wake Forest field player to be named to the first-team all-conference squad.

Now in her second season as Wake Forest's starting goalkeeper, Regan turned in a superb season this fall and joins Taggart as the first Demon Deacons to be selected to the All-ACC first team. She currently owns the best single season GAA in Wake Forest history (0.78), while also recording 5.5 shutouts this season. Regan ranks first in the ACC in save percentage (.879).

Only a sophomore, Roeck has emerged as the leader of a Wake Forest defense that is allowing a stingy 0.83 goals per game this fall. Serving in her role as sweeper, Roeck also provides an offensive spark with three goals and one assist this season.

Charlton becomes the second Wake Forest freshman in as many years to be named to the All-ACC team (Taggart earned second-team all-conference honors last fall). Charlton is enjoying a standout rookie season, leading the Demon Deacons in both goals (with eight) and points (21) and ranking among the ACC leaders in each of those categories.

DEMON DEACONS CONTINUE IMPRESSIVE RUN IN THE ACC
After winning just four ACC matches in the program's first four years of existence, Wake Forest took a major stride forward last fall when the Demon Deacons posted a 4-3 league record and finished in 4th place in the regular season.

The Deacs have carried that momentum into 1999 by duplicating that 4-3 league record while improving to third place in the ACC regular season standings.

Now spanning the last two seasons, Wake Forest owns a much improved 8-6 (.571) record against the ACC as opposed to the 4-23 (.148) mark posted in the program's first four years of existence.

TAGGART LIGHTS UP THE SCOREBOARD
Dare we say it, but sophomore midfielder Emily Taggart is in en fuego during the second half of the season. Since missing five games with a sprained MCL, Taggart has made her return to the lineup with authority over the second half of the year by scoring five goals. She had one stretch during the season where she scored one goal in four consecutive games (UNC Greensboro, UNC Charlotte, Duke and Brown). Since a slow start to the 1999 season, Taggart has displayed the talent that earned her ACC Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-America honors last year with her play in recent weeks.

INSIDE THE ACC STATISTICS
The Demon Deacons have several players listed among the ACC's statistical leaders. Freshman Lindsey Griffin is tied for 2nd with 8 assists. Sophomore goalkeeper Erin Regan is 1st in save percentage (.879), 3rd in GAA (0.78) and 4th in shutouts (4 solo). Freshman forward Joline Charlton is tied for eighth in the ACC with eight goals and is currently tied for 7th with 21 points. As a team, Wake Forest is ranked 3rd in scoring defense (0.83) and 3rd in offense (2.00) in the ACC.

IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
The Wake Forest women's soccer team is well represented in this week's national polls. The Demon Deacons are ranked 15th in the NSCAA coaches' poll, 15th by Soccer America, 17th by Soccer Buzz magazine, and 12th by Soccer Times - a poll voted on by a panel of 16 coaches across the nation.

A 7th place ranking by Soccer America earlier this season represented the highest ranking for the Demon Deacons in school history.

THE INJURY BUG UPDATE
With a roster of just 19 players for the 1999 season, the Demon Deacons can ill afford to lose players to injuries for any extended period of time. The Deacs have already suffered their fair share of injuries through the early part of the season, but the report from the training room appears to be very positive for the remainder of the season.

The most serious concern lies with junior midfielder Christie Melby, who had made her return to the Demon Deacon lineup on Sept. 3 at Air Force in highly dramatic fashion by scoring two goals in two games off the bench. Melby, who suffered a torn ACL during 1999 spring practice drills as well as prior to the 1997 season, reinjured her knee in practice in mid-September. However, team doctors have given medical clearance and she returned to active duty in the regular season home finale on Oct. 29 against Louisville. Melby is available for action during the ACC Tournament.

Sophomore midfielder Emily Taggart, the 1998 ACC Rookie of the Year, suffered a sprained MCL in her right knee at Air Force on September 5th which has forced her out of the lineup for four contests in the middle of the fall. The injury to Taggart was not considered serious, and she made a triumphant return to the lineup on Sept. 26 at NC State when she scored a goal off the bench.

TAGGART WINS THE GOLD
Sophomore midfielder Emily Taggart spent her summer helping the United States capture a gold medal in international competition. While the U.S. National team was busy capturing the World Cup, Taggart was a member of the U-18 national team that competed in the Pan-Am Games in July and August and won the gold medal.

SHROPSHIRE CONTINUES ASSAULT ON RECORD BOOK
Senior forward Anne Shropshire rewrote the Wake Forest record book last season as she set new single season records for goals, assists and points while also breaking the career marks in each of those categories, too. She picked up in the first game of 1999 where she left off in 1998 by netting two goals and two assists to add to her school record career totals. Through the end of the regular season, Shropshire now has 27 goals, 27 assists and 81 points in her WFU career, all school records.

FRESHMEN OF INFLUENCE
As the 1999 postseason approaches, the talented Wake Forest freshman class has already asserted itself as a key ingredient in the Demon Deacons' success. Five different freshmen have cracked the starting lineup this season, while combining to tally 10 goals and 18 assists.

Forward Joline Charlton made the biggest impact of the rookie class as she has scored a team-best eight goals and has five assists to lead the team with 21 points. Also making the starting 11 this season are defender Liz McDowell, who scored the game-winner at Air Force with under five minutes remaining in regulation, midfielder Lindsey Griffin, a playmaker who has a team-best eight assists, defender Katie Johnson, with one goal, and defender Gabi Lieb, with one assist.

ROECK ANCHORS THE DEFENSE
With last year's sweeper Jessen Snyder lost to graduation, head coach Tony da Luz turned to sophomore Stacy Roeck as the Deacs' new anchor in the backfield.

Last fall Roeck started 20 of 21 games in the backfield, giving the Deacons an offensive threat by scoring seven goals and adding one assist. Still an offensive threat, Roeck scored the game-winning goal in the Deacs' 2-0 win over UNC Greensboro and now has 10 goals in her two-year career. She has helped the Deacs' hold opponents to a stingy 0.83 goals per game (15 goals in 18 games) while the Deacs rank third in the ACC and among the Top 25 nationally in scoring defense. Although her name may not show up high on the stat sheet, Roeck may be the team's MVP in 1999.

da LUZ NAMED 1998 ACC COACH OF THE YEAR
Wake Forest head coach Tony da Luz was selected as the 1998 ACC Coach of the Year by a vote of the league's eight head coaches. Da Luz guided the Demon Deacons to a 13-7-1 overall record last season, including a school-best 4-3 record in ACC play. The Deacs finished fourth in the league standings after placing seventh in each of the last four seasons.

Now in his third season at Wake Forest, da Luz owns a 37-20-3 record as the Demon Deacons' head coach while leading the squad to the NCAA Tournament in both 1997 and 1998. In his eighth season overall as a head coach, da Luz has compiled a 83-62-6 record.

He came to Wake Forest after a successful five-year stint at San Diego, where he led his team to the NCAA playoffs in 1996. His success at San Diego earned him West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors as well as NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year accolades in 1996.