No. 1 North Carolina ran into a wall on Sunday afternoon in Winston-Salem, falling 3-1 to No. 4 Wake Forest and taking its first ACC loss and first road loss of the season.
Carolina actually struck first and did it early. The Tar Heels pushed the tempo from the opening whistle, putting up two shots and two corner kicks in the first 10 minutes.
That pressure paid off in the 12th minute when Scottie Antonucci delivered a corner into the box and Bella Devey rose to meet it, heading home the opening goal. It was Devey’s 15th of the season.
But Wake Forest answered with a burst that flipped the match. The Demon Deacons tied it in the 21st minute, then scored again one minute later to seize a 2-1 lead before halftime.
The second half started with another quick Wake Forest strike. Kylie Maxell scored in the 46th minute to make it 3-1, and from there Carolina spent the rest of the afternoon trying to claw back into the game.
The Tar Heels did create chances. In the 61st minute, Hope Munson and Aven Alvarez fired back-to-back shots in an effort to build momentum, but neither attempt found the net. Wake Forest held firm from there and closed out the two-goal win.
North Carolina finished with 23 shots and seven on goal, while also earning 13 corner kicks to Wake Forest’s three. Hannah Johann played the first half in goal and Peyton Trayer handled the second, and each recorded one save.
The loss dropped Carolina to 5-1 in ACC play. Devey’s goal also left her tied for first in the ACC in total goals and second in the NCAA.
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