Virginia Men's Soccer Rally Falls Short at Wake Forest, 4-3

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Despite a hat trick from Will Bates (Jr., Chester, Va.), the No. 18 Virginia men's soccer team saw its three-match win streak come to an end Friday as it dropped a 4-3 decision to Wake Forest at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

UVa (8-5-0, 3-2-0 ACC) fell behind 3-0 early in the second half before Bates scored two goals just 29 seconds apart to pull the Cavaliers back into the game. The Demon Deacons (6-5-2, 3-3-0) scored in the 87th minute, which proved key when Bates later tallied his third goal with just six seconds remaining.

Bates recorded his third career hat trick and his second game with three or more goals this year. He tallied four goals earlier this season against Radford. Bates now owns a career-high 13 goals this season.

Virginia took twice as many shots as Wake Forest, 16-8, and out-shot the Demon Deacons 12-4 in the second half. Six of UVa's shots were on goal, while Wake Forest put five on goal. UVa took five corner kicks to two for Wake.

UVa goalkeeper Spencer LaCivita (Fr., Raleigh, N.C.) made one save. Wake Forest keeper Michael Lisch allowed two goals and made a pair of saves in 87 minutes of action; Doug Ryan replaced him for three minutes and allowed a goal while also making a save.

After the defenses ruled for the first 30 minutes, Wake Forest (6-5-2, 3-3-0) drew first blood in the 32nd minute on a Danny Wenzel penalty kick.

The Demon Deacons then got a huge momentum boost heading into halftime when Ross Tomaselli found himself wide open following a Teddy Mullin chip into the box and scored just inside the near post with just four seconds remaining.

Wake added an insurance goal in the 52nd minute off a free kick when Sam Fink beat LaCivita from just outside the goal.

Virginia then made a game of it when Bates scored twice in a 29-second span. At the 66:55 mark Bates took a Hunter Jumper (Sr., Plano, Texas) corner kick and scored. After a Wake foul in the box at the 67:24 mark, Bates converted on the penalty kick to pull UVa within 3-2.

Wake put the game away in the 87th minute on a goal against the run of play as Andy Lubahn made a long run then hit a shot across the box to the far corner. The four goals surrendered by the UVa defense marks the most allowed by a Virginia side since Nov. 3, 2007 in a 4-1 loss at Maryland.

This goal proved to be key in the waning seconds as Felipe Libreros (Sr., Oldsmar, Fla.) sent a ball to Bates, who deflected it past Ryan with just six ticks remaining.

Virginia returns home next Tuesday (Oct. 18) to face Howard in a 7 p.m. clash.