Top-ranked and speedy Akron spoiled the home soccer opener for Wake Forest last night at Spry Stadium.
The Zips, who lost in the NCAA championship game last season to Virginia, beat the Deacons 2-0 in front of the largest regular-season crowd in school history of just more than 4,500.
Akron, which was ranked No. 1 in the National Soccer Coaches Association's preseason poll, took it right at the third-ranked Deacons (0-1-1) and never backed off.
"We just saw what real life is about at the top," Coach Jay Vidovich of the Deacons said.
Vidovich hesitated to answer what he learned about his young team, which opened the season Friday night in Greensboro with a 2-2 tie against Seton Hall.
"Certain individuals are going to have to step up and collectively we are going to have to step up," Vidovich said. "And I think there was a moment in the second half there where we lost a little belief, but they bounced back a little and grew from that."
Losing belief isn't something that Vidovich had to worry about the previous four seasons when the Deacons won a national title (in 2007) and reached the last four College Cups.
The Zips scored in each half, starting with Darren Mattocks jumping to the inside on defender Anthony Arena and pushing a short shot past goalie Akira Fitzgerald in the 15th minute. Darlington Nagbe set the goal up by slipping the ball past two defenders.
The lead held up until the Zips, who improved to 2-0 after beating North Carolina on Friday, scored again in the 53rd minute. This time it was Nagbe, who took a crossing pass from Kofi Sarkodie and beat Fitzgerald to the right from about 20 yards out.
Nagbe, a speedy junior, gave the Deacons fits all night and helped the Zips control the game. The Deacons managed four shots on goal and three corner kicks.
"It was a great test and Akron is a tremendous team," Vidovich said. "It was a great test for us and it brings to life what we have been talking to the guys about because many of our guys haven't experienced that, and now they have."
After the Zips took the 2-0 lead, play got a little rough. Four yellow cards were issued to each team.
Midfielder Sam Redmond of the Deacons, a junior and one of the veterans, says that they learned a lot.
"I think everybody works hard in practice, but this one hurts, especially in front of those people at home," Redmond said about the fourth-largest crowd in school history that includes NCAA Tournament games.
The Deacons will open ACC play on Friday night at Spry Stadium against Clemson.
"I hope there's a learning process, because if there's not it's going to be a long season," Vidovich said.
jdell@wsjournal.com | 727-4081
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