Bulldogs Fall to Wake Forest for First Loss of 2015

THE RUNDOWN

Score: Wake Forest 5 – Asheville 0

Teams: Asheville (2-1, 0-0 BSC)

#16 Wake Forest (4-0, 0-0 ACC)

Location: Spry Stadium/Winston-Salem, N.C.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's soccer team dropped its first match of the 2015 season on Tuesday night against nationally-ranked Wake Forest, falling 5-0 on the road.

THE TURNING POINT

Wake Forest took the lead almost from the start, benefiting from an Asheville own goal in the game's second minute to jump out in front. The Deacons added three more goals in the first half (16^th, 30^th and 40^th minutes) before a final goal in the 62^nd minute wrapped things up.

NOTABLES

-Asheville was outshot 26-8 in the loss, with Wake Forest notching more shots in the second half (16) despite four of their five goals coming in the opening half.

-Wake Forest took eight corner kicks to the Bulldogs' one corner kick in the loss.

-Freshman Brendan O'Dowd tallied three of Asheville's eight total shots. No other Bulldog had more than one shot.

-Asheville has now started a season 2-1 on six occasions ('90, '95, '99, '01, '10, '15).

QUOTABLES

“I was proud of the way our guys battled, especially in the second half. Wake Forest is an excellent team and is fully deserving of the national ranking. They showed us what the next level looks like. I am very pleased with the progress we made tonight. There is always going to be a risk when you go and try and play a team like Wake Forest. I thought our guys played with great spirit and we went out and tried to win from minute one. Obviously, giving up five goals is a bit harsh but life is about how you respond. This game can be a great opportunity for us to grow as a group.” - Head Coach Mathes Mennell

UP NEXT

-Asheville now prepares to travel to Burlington, Vermont for a pair of games this weekend against the University of Vermont (9/11) and the University of New Hampshire (9/13). The next Bulldog home match will be when they begin Big South Conference play against High Point on September 26.