Wake Forest picked up two more wins against in-state rivals this past weekend, as they took down Duke and Appalachian State to extend their win streak to 15.
Friday vs. Duke
Wake Forest traveled to Durham on Friday night, where they took down rival Duke 3-1 behind Mia Shoenbeck’s second straight game with a hat trick. With the win, they claim a share of the ACC regular-season title for the first time since 2006, and can clinch the outright title with a win at No.3 Virginia next Friday, Oct 31.
Shoenbeck leads the ACC with 21 goals through 16 matches this season and ranks second in the nation. She also leads the ACC with seven game-winning goals.
The Deacs controlled much of the first quarter of play, where Shoenbeck tallied her first of the match just five minutes into the frame off a penalty corner. Mia Montag and Rachel Thetford supplied the assists to grab the 1-0 lead.
The Blue Devils generated continuous pressure and leveled the game at 1-1 one minute into the second quarter.
Goalkeeper Ellie Todd and the defensive front came up with big saves in the third quarter to keep Duke off the board, where they only allowed three shots throughout the period.
Shoenbeck found the back of the net in the third quarter off an unassisted reverse shot to the top corner to make it 2-1. She then iced the game with five minutes left to seal the win for the Deacs and remain perfect in the ACC.
“I’m just so incredibly proud of our poise and our patience,” Head Coach Jen Averill said of the win. “We played four complete quarters tonight, and it was just one of the best wins of the season thus far against a very, very talented team.”
Sunday vs. Appalachian State
Wake Forest wrapped up its home slate against Appalachian State on Sunday, where they shut out the Mountaineers 3-0 to finish the season perfect at home. Following the win, a senior day celebration took place on the field, where they honored Amelia Frey, Rachel Thetford and Ellie Todd for their hard work and dedication to the game of field hockey.
The Demon Deacons set the tone early and controlled play in yet another game, outshooting the Mountaineers 23-2 and earning 11 penalty corners.
Faye Janse struck twice for the Deacs, and Sarah Mudd capitalized on a deflection from Mia Montag to highlight the scoring.
Todd and the defensive front stood tall to earn the 3-0 shutout.
“I’m incredibly proud of the team’s ability to play two challenging opponents over the weekend,” Averill said. “I’m just thrilled for Wake Forest hockey and the homestead we had during the regular season.”
Despite the excitement of the weekend, it was unfortunately reported that sophomore Lauren Storey tore her ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Storey was having a stellar campaign up to this point and had been a key playmaker, scoring 14 goals and notching six assists this season.
Wake Forest proved on Sunday that they have plenty of scorers who can step up, showcasing the team’s depth and resilience despite the loss of Storey.
The Demon Deacons will conclude the regular season with one of their toughest matchups yet on Friday, Oct. 31, when they travel to Charlottesville to take on No.3 Virginia. They will look to claim the outright ACC regular-season title and No. 1 seed in this year’s ACC tournament.
