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#4 Seed Virginia Knocks Off #1 Seed Wake Forest In ACC Semifinals, 2-1
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Nov. 12, 2004
CARY, N.C. – The #4 seeded University of Virginia men’s soccer team defeated the #1 seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons by the score of 2-1 in the semifinals of the 2004 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship at SAS Soccer Stadium. In a contest played in a steady downpour and a flooded and soggy field, UVa sloshed its way past the top-seeded Demon Deacons thanks to a pair of goals by Adam Cristman and Mike Littlefield. Littlefield’s second half goal proved to be the game-winner and propelled the Cavaliers to the ACC Finals for the sixth consecutive season and the 15th time in the 18 ACC Tournaments. The match also marked the fourth consecutive year the Cavaliers knocked the Demon Deacons out of the ACC Semifinals.
UVa wasted little time getting on the scoreboard and took a 1-0 lead just 8:02 into the match when Hunter Freeman served up a free kick into the box to Cristman, where he headed the ball into goal for the first score of the game. Freeman’s assist, his NCAA-leading 21st assist of the season, set a new UVa school-record for most assists in a single season. Cristman’s goal was his team-leading eighth of the year.
Wake Forest knotted the game at 1-1 at 23:50 when Scott Sealy got a foot on a loose ball in the UVa box and chipped it into goal to tie the score at one apiece. The two teams went into halftime tied at 1-1.
The Cavaliers broke the 1-1 tie at 51:18 and took a 2-1 lead when Littlefield executed on a diving header for a score that resulted in the game-winning goal following a cross from teammate Will Hall. Littlefield’s goal, his third of the season, was his second game-winner this year. UVa then preserved its one-goal lead with steady defense and used the poor field conditions to its advantage to ride its way into the ACC Championship match on Sunday.
UVa goalkeeper Ryan Burke made a team-high three saves in the win, while WFU goalkeeper allowed two goals without a save in the loss.
With the victory, Virginia’s record improves to 16-4-0 overall. The loss drops Wake Forest’s record to 13-5-1 on the year. The Cavaliers are now 29-3-4 all-time against the Demon Deacons in men’s soccer.
UVa will return to action on Sunday, November 14th at 1:00 PM when Virginia competes in the ACC Championship match against the winner of the #2 seed Maryland vs. #3 seed North Carolina contest. The Maryland/North Carolina match was scheduled to be played tonight at 8:00 PM following Virginia’s victory. However, due to the unplayable field conditions, the match was rescheduled for Saturday.
Score 1 2 FVirginia (16-4-0) 1 1 2Wake Forest (13-5-1) 1 0 1
Goals: Virginia 2 – Cristman @ 8:02 (Freeman), Littlefield @ 51:18 (Hall). Wake Forest 1 – Sealy @ 23:50 (unassisted).Shots: Wake Forest 11, Virginia 5.Corner Kicks: Wake Forest 6, Virginia 4.Saves: Virginia 3, Wake Forest 0.Fouls: Virginia 17, Wake Forest 12.Cautions: Wake Forest 4 – Riley (2, yellow & red), Caugherty, Keel. Virginia 2 – Hall, Cristman.
— UVA —