WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In a battle of top-20 nationally-ranked men’s soccer teams Saturday evening, No. 20 Wake Forest (3-0-0) got the better of No. 19 FGCU (0-1-1) as the Demon Deacons secured a 1-0 win over the visiting Eagles.

The lone goal came in the 17th minute when Michael Gamble finished a play inside the box which was set up by Jacori Hayes and Jon Bakero. From there, Wake Forest had the better of the play for the opening half, out-shooting the Eagles and taking that 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

FGCU – competing in its first-ever game in which the Eagles and their opponent were nationally ranked – settled in during the second half, securing all five of its shots but couldn’t beat Wake Forest keeper Alec Ferrell.

“The game was more even than the stat sheet indication,” said FGCU head coach Bob Butehorn, whose team was on the wrong side of a 13-5 shot discrepancy. “Wake Forest was probably the best team we’ve faced so far this year, and they’ll be very good the rest of the season.”

Wake Forest pressed the Eagles early on, but through the first 10-15 minutes they responded and controlled the tempo, but weren’t able to connect in the final third of the pitch. The Wake Forest goal came shortly after FGCU senior left back Skylar Wilks (Tampa, Fla./Newsome HS) sustained an injury and there was a breakdown on his side of the field, helping lead to the deflected goal.

FGCU redshirt senior goalkeeper Nathan Ingham (Keswick, Ontario/Keswick HS) made five saves on the night as he and the always-stout Eagles’ backline were tested early and often Saturday.

Looking to give his team a spark and put several newcomers in positions they might experience moving forward, Butehorn utilized 20 different players against the Demon Deacons. After not having an attempted shot in the first half, David Robledo (Dallas, Texas/Hillcrest HS) fired off the first for the Eagles in the 49th minute but missed the frame to the right. Steven Oliveri (Stuart, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) let a shot fly in the 57th minute but that also missed the frame high over the bar.

In the 61st minute, Miguel Jaime (Denver, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) – who had just re-entered two minutes earlier – put FGCU’s lone shot of the evening on target, but Ferrell was equal to the task. Jaime added another attempt in the 70th minute, but that was blocked down by the Wake Forest backline. The Eagles final attempt of the night came in the 86th minute, but Rodrigo Saravia (Guatemala City, Guatemala/College Internacional Montessori) had his shot blocked.

During that flurry by Jaime in the second half, FGCU thought it had earned a penalty kick when Jaime was pulled down in the box, but no decision was rendered.

“It wasn’t our best game in the final third, but we were good moving the ball and creating a lot of opportunities,” Butehorn added. “We’re battling some injuries right now. But Wake played a very good and attacking style. However, moving forward it was a great experience for us. It’s a very tough place to play against a good ACC team and will only benefit us.”

After beginning the year unranked, Wake Forest moved up to No. 20 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire poll following a pair of wins last weekend. Meanwhile, FGCU also moved from unranked to No. 19 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll after it played to a scoreless draw with then-No. 3 Georgetown (now No. 4).

FGCU was looking to win its initial road game of a season for the first time since 2010 when the Eagles opened not only their road schedule but season slate as well with a 2-1 win at No. 13 USF, snapping the Bulls’ 30-game home unbeaten streak. Also, by virtue of Wednesday night’s contest versus UCF being declared a “no contest,” Saturday marked the second time in program history that FGCU began a season with consecutive nationally-ranked opponents. The first came in 2012 when the Eagles traveled to No. 2 Akron and No. 16 Georgetown.

FGCU returns home for a weekend set of matches against Ivy League members Princeton and Penn this coming Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. starts from the FGCU Soccer Complex. Princeton opened its season Friday night at St. John’s and claimed a 2-1 victory, while Penn also commenced its campaign Friday evening by hosting No. 7 Washington and battled the Huskies to a 0-0 tie.

TICKET INFORMATION
Season- and single-game tickets are available for the 2015 campaign, with season tickets starting at just $35. More information, including special discounts and group rates, can be accessed by logging on to FGCUAthletics.com/tickets or by clicking here. To purchase tickets, or for additional inquiries, call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men’s soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer and Facebook /FGCUMSoccer.

COACH BUTEHORN
FGCU is led by Bob Butehorn, who has coached 45 A-Sun All-Conference selections since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just four years of postseason eligibility, Butehorn has guided FGCU to three A-Sun Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012 and 2014 – and has won an unprecedented five-straight A-Sun regular-season championships. His teams have been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets. Now in his 13th season as a head coach, Butehorn has a 108-88-23 overall record, 74-56-19 mark in his 9th season at FGCU and 44-17-5 record in A-Sun contests.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics’ charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.