Third-ranked Wake Forest kept its perfect season intact Thursday with a 3-1 win at California, becoming the first team in women’s soccer this year to reach nine victories.
The Demon Deacons are now just one of two teams left in NCAA Division I women’s soccer still without a loss. They’ll share that space alongside conference foe Boston College.
Wake Forest had to work through an early challenge, but coach Tony da Luz said the group answered the moment.
“The team responded to the challenge,” da Luz said. “Cal was a difficult opponent and really tested us. We had a slow start but solved some problems and gradually got a better hold of the game.”
The game’s first breakthrough came in the 15th minute. Henley Tippins scored her third goal of the season and first in ACC play after Sophie Forward picked off a Golden Bear pass in midfield.
That sequence set up Kylie Maxwell, who slipped her second assist of the season to Tippins.
Wake Forest doubled the lead six minutes into the second half when Chloe Burst buried an insurance goal. Riley Cross created the chance after finding Burst in open space before the finish.
Da Luz called that play “a special turn and goal by Henley, and another clutch goal from Sierra and Chloe wrapped it with a perfect finish.”
“Team spirit is high and we look forward to Sunday’s match at Stanford.”
California cut into the margin with a penalty kick in the 63rd minute. Riley Cross was called for the foul in open space, and Cal calmly converted the 1-on-1 chance with the keeper.
Even with the brief pushback, redshirt junior Valentina Amaral shut the door from there. In her 3rd-career appearance at Wake Forest, the Oviedo, Fla. native finished with six saves and moved her career total to 133, which now sits eighth in program history.
Wake Forest will stay out west and face sixth-ranked Stanford on Sunday at 2 p.m.
In Other News...
Wake Forest Just Landed In A Spot That Will Spark Debate
Two wins into the season, Wake Forest has already found itself in the middle of the early ACC conversation, and the first weekly conference power rankings from the Wake Forest Demon Deacons On SI staff reflect that. The Deacons checked in at No. 8 in a field of 17 teams after opening 2-0, a start that has given the program a legitimate foothold as the league picture begins to take shape. Miami sits at No. 1, setting up a clear early bar for the teams trying to climb toward the top.
Wake Forests immediate test only sharpens the interest, because the Deacons are headed into a matchup with No. 5 Miami. The rankings also sketch the wider ACC landscape, with recent results helping separate the contenders from the rest of the pack, but Wake Forests placement is the one likely to draw the most debate among its own fans. A strong start has earned attention, yet the next few days will say plenty about whether the Deacons are being viewed as an up-and-comer or just the first team to enjoy a little early-season momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Gets A Massive Friday Night Test Against Miami
Wake Forest heads into Friday night with a real measuring-stick opportunity after grinding out an overtime win against Purdue and now welcoming No. 5 Miami to Winston-Salem. Jake Dickerts team has some momentum, but the challenge changes fast against a Hurricanes group that brings national-title level expectations and an offense built around transfer quarterback Cam Ward. For the Demon Deacons, this is the kind of stage that can tell you a lot about where a program really stands in early season play.
Gio Lopez is set for his first ranked test since last season, and hell need Wake Forest to be sharper against a Miami team that handled the Deacons decisively a year ago. There is also the longer history hanging over the matchup, since Wake Forest has not beaten Miami since 1944. Between the ranking, the recent loss in the series and the chance to prove the Purdue win was more than a one-off, this one carries a little more weight than a typical Friday night game. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Must Solve A Miami Passing Threat That Looks Different Now
Miami is getting ready for Wake Forest with a passing game that has become one of the more interesting parts of this matchup, and Darian Mensah is already talking like a quarterback who expects the Demon Deacons to make him earn every clean throw. Mensah pointed to the need for solid protection and the kind of mental preparation that keeps an offense from getting sped up when a defense starts changing looks.
For Wake Forest, the challenge is less about the name on the jersey and more about how to sort out a quarterback who has handled the season well and has been comfortable executing plays effectively. The Demon Deacons know they will need to be sharp early, because Miamis passing threat now comes with enough rhythm and confidence to punish mistakes if the coverage breaks down for even a moment. [Read more 🡒]