University of North Carolina Athletics
Freshman Alessia Russo had a brace as the Tar Heels beat Wake Forest 2-0.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Russo’s Brace Lifts Tar Heels Past Demon Deacons
October 8, 2017 | Women's Soccer
UNC remains unbeaten in ACC play.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Alessia Russo scored a pair of goals and Samantha Leshnak recorded her fifth solo shutout in six ACC games as the University of North Carolina women's soccer team defeated the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 2-0 Sunday afternoon before 873 fans at Dennie W. Spry Soccer Stadium.
Russo scored her sixth and seventh goals of the season and now has five game-winning goals for Coach Anson Dorrance's fifth-ranked Tar Heels. North Carolina improved to 10-2 on the season and 6-0 in the ACC. Duke and North Carolina remain tied atop the ACC standings as each are 6-0 with four conference games remaining.
Wake Forest, ranked 15th, fell to 9-3-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the ACC. The Tar Heels have now won their past five meetings with the Demon Deacons.
Russo scored the game-winning goal at 22:23 of the match as she scored from four yards out on a one-timer off a cross by Bridgette Andrzejewski. Julia Ashley had quickly fed a ball from about 25 yards out that Andrzejewski found in stride. She took a couple of dribbles and fed a ball across the box that Lindsay Preston appeared ready to pick off. At the last second, Russo intervened with her left leg and redirected the ball into the lower right of the goal.
Both defenses dominated the game with UNC taking just seven shots and Wake Forest four. Wake Forest had three corner kicks in comparison to two for Carolina.
The Tar Heels found separation in the 70th minute of play after Russo claimed the ball off a turnover in midfield. With forwards Syndey Spruill and Alea Hyatt trying to stay onside on the right side of the pitch, Russo read her situation perfectly and dribbled through the Wake Forest defense right down the middle of the pitch. She evaded her last defender just inside the penalty area and slotted a ball into the lower left corner from 15 yards to make the final margin 2-0.
Russo scored three of UNC's five goals in the weekend wins over Miami and Wake Forest. Russo now has five game-winning goals in her freshman campaign.
The Wake Forest game was the second of four straight road games for UNC. The Tar Heels will return to the pitch next Saturday, October 14 at Boston College at 7 p.m. and then play at Virginia Tech on Thursday, October 19 at 7 p.m.
Leshnak now has seven solo shutouts this year and she has recorded shutouts in five of UNC's six ACC wins.
Russo scored her sixth and seventh goals of the season and now has five game-winning goals for Coach Anson Dorrance's fifth-ranked Tar Heels. North Carolina improved to 10-2 on the season and 6-0 in the ACC. Duke and North Carolina remain tied atop the ACC standings as each are 6-0 with four conference games remaining.
Wake Forest, ranked 15th, fell to 9-3-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the ACC. The Tar Heels have now won their past five meetings with the Demon Deacons.
Russo scored the game-winning goal at 22:23 of the match as she scored from four yards out on a one-timer off a cross by Bridgette Andrzejewski. Julia Ashley had quickly fed a ball from about 25 yards out that Andrzejewski found in stride. She took a couple of dribbles and fed a ball across the box that Lindsay Preston appeared ready to pick off. At the last second, Russo intervened with her left leg and redirected the ball into the lower right of the goal.
Both defenses dominated the game with UNC taking just seven shots and Wake Forest four. Wake Forest had three corner kicks in comparison to two for Carolina.
The Tar Heels found separation in the 70th minute of play after Russo claimed the ball off a turnover in midfield. With forwards Syndey Spruill and Alea Hyatt trying to stay onside on the right side of the pitch, Russo read her situation perfectly and dribbled through the Wake Forest defense right down the middle of the pitch. She evaded her last defender just inside the penalty area and slotted a ball into the lower left corner from 15 yards to make the final margin 2-0.
Russo scored three of UNC's five goals in the weekend wins over Miami and Wake Forest. Russo now has five game-winning goals in her freshman campaign.
The Wake Forest game was the second of four straight road games for UNC. The Tar Heels will return to the pitch next Saturday, October 14 at Boston College at 7 p.m. and then play at Virginia Tech on Thursday, October 19 at 7 p.m.
Leshnak now has seven solo shutouts this year and she has recorded shutouts in five of UNC's six ACC wins.
Team Stats
NC
WF
Goals
2
0
Shots
7
4
Shots on Goal
2
1
Saves
1
0
Corners
2
3
Fouls
7
8
Scoring Plays

Alessia Russo (6)
Assisted By: B. Andrzejewski , Julia Ashley
One-timer off cross
22:23

Alessia Russo (7)
Dribbles into box and slots shot inside
69:48
Game Leaders
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