The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 19-10-7, but the Demon Deacons have enjoyed recent success, winning the last three meetings, most recently, 4-2, at Chapel Hill this fall in one of their most impressive performances of the season.
"One of the best things about going into NCAA play is getting to play different teams, different looks," says Wake coach Jay Vidovich. "The other side of it is that when we had the conference call for the tape exchange of each other's games, [North Carolina coach] Elmar [Bolowich] and I were like do we even need to, we know each other so well. Our players played together, they were youth players together, we see each other all the time. So we have a familiarity, we know each other, we know what's coming, but who knows what happens."
Between the two teams, four starters attended the U.S. U-17 residency program, and four played for North Carolina power CASL Elite. Wake's Corben Bone and UNC's Cameron Brown were long-time teammates on Dallas club Solar.
UNC's loss to Wake was the third of five straight defeats to end the season. Bolowich says the Heels only made minor adjustments.
"We played well even in that stretch and were unfortunate at times not to get results," he says. "But we always believed in ourselves and no one ever gave up."
NORTH CAROLINA
Goalkeeper
PLAYER, YEAR (G-A-P) CLUB TEAM
1 Brooks Haggerty, JR. (1.22 GAA) CASL Elite
Defenders
3 Zach Loyd, JR. (0-3-3) Tulsa Nationals
14 Jordan Graye, JR. (0-1-1) Reston FC
13 Ryan Adeleye, SR. (0-0-0) PDA
20 Sheanon Williams, FR. (1-2-4) U.S. U-17 residency
Midfielders
8 Garry Lewis, SR. (4-2-10) West Kendall
15 Cameron Brown, SOPH. (3-5-11) Solar
5 Michael Callahan, SR. (3-5-11) CASL Elite
Forwards
31 Brian Shriver, SR. (13-5-31) Kendall Soccer Coalition
9 Eddie Ababio, JR. (7-4-18) U.S. U-17 residency
10 Billy Schuler, FR. (4-5-13) U.S. U-17 residency
Key Reserves
18 Kirk Urso, FR. (3-6-12) U.S. U-17 residency
22 Alex Dixon, FR. (5-0-10) Houston Dynamo academy
11 Chris Lebo, FR. (1-2-4) Baltimore Casa Mia Bays
7 Dustin McCarty, SOPH. (1-2-4) Central Florida United
6 David Rodriguez, SOPH. (0-0-0) FC Texas
WAKE FOREST
Goalkeeper
PLAYER, YEAR (G-A-P) CLUB TEAM
1 Akira Fitzgerald, JR. (0.61 GAA) Baltimore Bays
Defenders
3 Lyle Adams, SR. (3-3-9) Central Florida United
18 Evan Brown, SR. (2-8-12) CASL Elite
23 Ike Opara, SOPH. (5-0-10) Triangle FC Navy
20 Danny Wenzel, FR. (1-3-5) U.S. U-17 residency
Midfielders
2 Sam Cronin, SR. (10-4-24) Greensboro SC
10 Corben Bone, JR. (7-17-31) Solar
11 Jamie Franks, SR. (3-11-17) PDA
13 Michael Lahoud, SR. (0-5-5) Reston FC
Forwards
17 Cody Arnoux, JR. (17-8-42) CASL Elite
9 Marcus Tracy, SR. (13-10-36) Beachside
Key Reserves
6 Austin da Luz, JR. (3-8-14) Lonestar
4 Justin Lichtfuss, JR. (0-0-0) Baltimore Casa Mia Bays
14 Luke Norman, FR. (3-1-7) Vardar
15 Nick Millington, FR (1-1-3) U.S. U-17 residency
12 Zack Schilawski, JR. (11-5-27) CASL Elite
7 Cline Beam, SR. (0-0-0) Concorde Fire
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