Soccer Teams Continue to Shine Early on in the Season

Wake Forest soccer is showing the world the talent and technique in Winston-Salem

Wake Forest women's soccer goalkeeper Valentina Amaral in action. | Wake Forest Athletics

With both the men's and women's soccer programs starting off so well with preseason recognitions and early dominance, there were high expectations for them to sustain this success. Now, they are a few weeks into the season, and both teams have shown no signs of regression.

We've already seen plenty of great soccer players come to Wake Forest and go on to play at the next level, but these teams have shown that talent hasn't stopped coming through Winston-Salem. Players on both teams have already received great honors, such as ACC players of the week for their given positions.

The women's team is currently ranked No. 3 in the NCAA rankings, showing that they are one of the most prolific and skilled teams in the entire country. On the other hand, the men's team has fought hard against great opponents such as Akron, which is currently ranked No. 6 in the men's rankings. Both teams have displayed toughness and composure in high-pressure environments.

Women's Soccer Continues to Assert Dominance Against Good Opponents

Wake Forest Women's Soccer cruised to yet another win, with goals from Chloe Burst and Allie Flanagan being the difference makers. | Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics

Through the first eight games Wake's women's team has played so far, they have 8 wins and have allowed only one goal. Their defensive dominance and knack for winning make them one of two teams in the country that are 8-0 with no ties. They have also already beaten three ranked opponents during this time, showing they can dominate against anybody.

One of their most recent victories came against the No. 10-ranked Virginia Cavaliers. This was their opening game of conference play, and they did the same thing the Deacons have been doing to most opponents this year: shut them out. Kylie Maxwell's sole goal was enough to get Wake the win. They followed that with a road win at Cal on Thursday night, winning 3-1 and giving up only their second goal of the season.

Great defenders and excellent goalkeeping are what have powered Wake's success this year. Great defenders such as Sierra Sythe have stepped up big time and helped pitch 7 shutouts. In addition, goalkeeper Valentina Amaral Jr. has won ACC Co-Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time already this season. The backline has been an absolute force for the Demon Deacons.

Valiant Efforts and Big Win Against Rival Highlights Men’s Season

Wake Forest men's soccer team takes on UNCG | Wake Forest Athletics

While the men's team has not matched the women's success so far, they have had some moments this season worth highlighting. The most noteworthy was their 6-1 throttling of in-state rival Duke. The Deacons were led by Tate Lorentz, as the kid from Winston-Salem scored twice against the Blue Devils' backline.

The men's team has some tough matchups on the horizon, including matches against No. 5-ranked SMU and No. 21-ranked Clemson. They have already had plenty of matches to prepare them, and they hope to show the world they can compete with some of the best, just like they did in their tight loss against Akron.

Overall, both programs have plenty to be happy about early in the season. However, the season is long, and if either team hopes to make a run for national success, they will have to sustain this success and continue to build on it.