TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 5 Wake Forest women’s soccer team kicks off a two-game road series this Thursday with its first away game of the season against the South Florida Bulls, on Sept. 3 at Corbett Stadium.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+<\/a> with live stats available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Need to Know – Game 6 Last Time Out
\nGola Ressler Midfield Mania Hold the Line Finder’s Keepers The Spry Advantage Quick Hitters
\nSeries History vs. South Florida<\/p>\n
\nScouting the Bulls<\/p>\n
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\nNo. 5 Wake Forest (5-0) vs. South Florida (1-3)
\nThursday, Sept. 3, 2026\u00a0 – 7 PM\u00a0 – ESPN+<\/a>
\nTampa, Fla. \u2013 Corbett Stadium<\/p>\n
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\n\tIn its final home non-conference contest, the No. 5 Wake Forest women’s soccer team (5-0-0, 0-0-0 ACC) maintained its spotless record with a 2-0 victory over the Portland Pilots (1-3-0, 0-0-0 WCC), Saturday night at Spry Stadium.
\n\tThe Pilots found early chances through the Wake Forest defense, calling redshirt-junior goalkeeper Valentina Amaral<\/a> into action in the third minute.
\n\tThe Demon Deacons pressed into Portland’s defensive end, with senior forward Henmley Tippin recording the first on target attempt of the night in the 8th minute.\u00a0
\n\tIn the 20th minute, sophomore midfielder Riley Cross<\/a> dribbled around the Pilot defense and struck hard outside the box, but sent the ball left of the net.\u00a0
\n\tThe contest remained an even battle through the first half, with neither team recording a shot on target past the eighth minute.\u00a0
\n\tWake Forest took the lead in the 40th minute, with redshirt-junior Sierra Sythe<\/a> converting the penalty kick.
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\n\t\tJunior forward Chloe Burst<\/a> drew the foul inside the box that ultimately led to the foul.\u00a0
\n\t\tThe goal marked Sythe’s second of the season, and extended her point scoring streak to two games, with her game-winning goal against Old Dominion.\u00a0
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\n\tAt the break, the Deacs led by two shots and maintained 66 percent possession in the first half.\u00a0
\n\tFreshman midfielder Eva Forster<\/a> got into the action in the 51st, throwing an attempt at the Portland keeper that the Pilot forced high.\u00a0
\n\tSophomore defender Tahlia Zadeyan<\/a> recorded a shot on goal in the 67th minute.
\n\tWake Forest continued its offensive push, as sophomore forward Allie Flanagan<\/a> forced the keeper to make a save in the 72nd minute.\u00a0
\n\tLess than a minute later, Flanagan put the Deacs up 2-0 with her first goal of the season.
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\n\t\tSythe and Zadeyan recorded assists on the goal.\u00a0
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\n\tAmaral tallied a save in the 76th minute, keeping the Pilots scoreless.
\n\tThe Demon Deacons continued to press offensively as the clock ticked away.
\n\tWake Forest defeated Portland, 2-0.\u00a0
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\nEntering her third year as a Demon Deacon, midfielder Lola Ressler<\/a> is an offensive threat on the field. The Winter Garden, Fla.-native has started all five contests, surpassing her career starts from 2025. Ressler struck just 46 seconds into last Thursday’s contest against the Iowa Hawkeyes, marking the third fastest goal in program history. She netted third goal of the season in the 52nd minute, recording her second career brace. Ressler’s performance earned the Deacs their first win over the Hawkeyes in program history. Already this season, the junior is one goal shy of matching her goal and point total from 2025.<\/p>\n
\nDa Luz’s carefully crafted midfield has seen incredible success in just the opening month of the season. The midfield has accounted for over half of the goals this season. Additionally, their offense makes up over a third of the Deacs 36 shots on goal. Sophomore Riley Cross<\/a> and Ressler have proved to be an offensive force to fear as they take top spots in four offensive categories. Cross leads the Demon Deacons with 15 shots and seven SOGs, adding a goal and two assists to her statline. Senior midfielder Dempsey Brown<\/a> recorded her first career goal in the home opener against No. 16 LSU, earning her TopDrawerSoccer National Player of the Week. Yet to show up on the scoresheet but providing production in game are freshman Eva Forster<\/a>, sophomore Sofia Atehortua<\/a> and junior Amaya Dawkins<\/a>. The three have tallied minutes in all four games, with Forster earning a start against LSU. Each of the Deacs have provided fluidity to the midfield, linking the backline to the front three.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nThe Demon Deacons backline has shown veteran experience in fifth games, despite some new additions to the line. Redshirt-junior Sierra Sythe<\/a> and senior Sammi Wiemann<\/a> continue to be secure pieces to the defense, with Sythe now on a 40-game start streak. Sophomore Tahlia Zadeyan<\/a> has settled into her role as centerback, bringing added height to the line. Sophomore Taylor Maxwell<\/a> has found her role in the backline since transferring from Miami, showing speed and rapid response towards the attacking team.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nBeyond the efforts of the Wake Forest defense, the Deacs’ anchors remain a shining element to the Demon Deacons’ game. Redshirt-junior Valentina Amaral<\/a> started through the first three games, recording 14 saves and three shutouts. Amaral has recorded a shutout in all of her appearances this season, and is the only goalie in the ACC with four shutouts in four games. She also ranks first in the conference and is tied first in the nation with a perfect save percentage. Recently named to the Mac Hermann Watch List, Amaral ranks third in Wake Forest program history with 17 career shutouts, behind NWSL Pros Kaitlyn Parks and Aubrey Kingsbury (Bledsoe). Redshirt-freshman Lizzie Thornton<\/a> earned her first career start this past August, facing five shots and tallying three saves against Old Dominion. Thornton launched high to make a save in the 82nd minute, securing not only the 1-0 victory but her first career shutout.<\/p>\n
\nThe Deacs have posted a stellar 31-3-9 record at home since the start of 2022, with its lone loss over the past three seasons coming against No. 1 Duke in 2024. In 2025, Wake Forest finished the season with a 8-0-3 record at Spry, highlighted by a 1-1 draw with No. 1 Notre Dame to close the home regular season slate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\tWake Forest maintained the No. 5 spot on United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll and earned No. 5 on TopDrawerSoccer. The Deacs were named No. 5 during Week 3 of competition, which marked their highest ranking on United Soccer Coaches since December 10, 2024.
\n\tThe Demon Deacons are one of two teams in the country to have five wins and zero goals conceded.\u00a0
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\n\t\tThe No. 1 Stanford Cardinal are the other team in the conference and country with no goals allowed through five games.\u00a0
\n\t\tRedshirt-junior defender Sierra Sythe<\/a> earned back-to-back ACC Defensive Player of the Week nods during weeks one and two of play.\u00a0
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\n\t\t\tRedshirt-junior goalkeeper Valentina Amaral<\/a> earned ACC Co-Goalkeeper of the Week during week one of play. This past August, she was also one of eight keepers in the country to be named to the Mac Hermann Watch List.\u00a0
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\n\t\tSenior midfielder Dempsey Brown<\/a> earned TopDrawerSoccer’s National Player of the Week during week one of the season, with Wake Forest named the team of the week.\u00a0
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\n\tThe Deacs returned 14 players from 2025 and over 60 percent of starters. Meanwhile, Wake Forest added five transfers and welcomed six freshmen in the offseason.\u00a0
\n\tHead Coach Tony da Luz<\/a> enters his 30th season with the program, with a 335-205-67 (.607) record in his time with the Deacs.
\n\tLast Saturday marked the fifth-straight shutout of the season, and extended Wake Forest’ s unbeaten record at home to 21 games, dating back to October 2024.\u00a0
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\n\tThis Thursday marks the third all-time meeting of the two programs.
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\n\t\tThe Deacs hold a 1-1-0 mark overall, and mark their first contest at Corbett Stadium.\u00a0
\n\t\tDuring their last meeting, Wake Forest defeated the Bulls 1-0 at Spry Stadium.
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\n\t\t\tRedshirt-junior Sierra Sythe<\/a> recorded the game-winning goal.\u00a0
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\n\tSouth Florida is led by Head Coach Chris Brown, who enters his third season at the helm of the program.
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\n\t\tBrown has served on the staff since 2007 and helped to guide the Bulls to an 184-97-43 record over 17 seasons before taking over as head coach.
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\n\tThe Bulls are 1-3-0, with a 0-1-0 record at home. They are currently on a one-game win streak, securing their first victory of the 2026 season over Stetson this past Sunday.
\n\tThe 28-player roster for 2026 features 10 returners and 18 newcomers.
\n\tSouth Florida placed three Bulls on the 2026 American Conference Preseason Watch List: Sophia Cabral, Brooke Fabri and Yui Suetsugu.
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\n\t\tSenior midfielder\/forward Suetsugu returns after earning a spot on the American Conference Second Team in 2025. In her junior year, she logged 1444 minutes on the frontline and tallied four points and 12 shots on goal.\u00a0
\n\t\tThis past Sunday, Suetsugu recorded assists on two of the three goals.\u00a0
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\n\tJunior forward Cabral leads the team with two goals, and tied first with four shots on goal. As a sophomore, she started seven of 18 matches, with one goal and 10 shots on target.\u00a0
\n\tJunior midfielder Fabri has started two of her four appearances, notching an assist last Sunday.
\n\tSophomore Gaby Rourke anchors the Bulls defense, starting all four contests of the season and recording her second career shutout this past Sunday.
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\nWake Forest continues its Florida stretch, traveling north to Gainesville, Fla. to face the No. 21 Florida Gators on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. The contest will be streamed on SECN+<\/a> with live stats available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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