Wake Forest wins 2024 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship over Clemson in PKs

CARY, N.C. (theACC.com) – Wake Forest won the 2024 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship on Sunday afternoon at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. Following a 1-1 draw, the fifth-seeded Demon Deacons outlasted second-seeded Clemson, 7-6, following eight rounds of a penalty-kick shootout.

Wake Forest (9-4-7) won its fourth ACC Championship, including its third under head coach Bobby Muuss, and its first since capturing back-to-back crowns in 2016 and 2017. Wake graduate defender Prince Amponsah was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The Tigers (14-2-5) struck first in the 20th minute following a corner kick. Ransford Gyan sent a beautiful ball into the box, where he found the head of Adam Lundegard, who directed it toward the far post, and Lukas Magnuson poked it home. The goal was Magnuson’s second of the year.

Wake leveled the score in the 39th minute when Jeffrey White sent a ball forward to Nico Rabiu, who fired a low shot across the box and inside the far post. It was his first goal of the season.

The teams battled back-and-forth through the shootout. Both sides converted on their first three kicks before Wake’s Basit Umar was stuffed by goalkeeper Patrick Donovan. Clemson’s Titus Sandy Jr. immediately followed by ripping his penalty try off the left post. The teams traded successful penalties until Clemson’s Samir Dishnica sent his shot over the crossbar to clinch the 7-6 shootout win for the Demon Deacons.

Clemson outshot Wake Forest, 17-14, and both teams put five shots on goal. Donovan and Wake’s Trace Alphin each made four saves in goal.

Wake Forest earned the league’s automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The selection show for the field of 48 will be broadcast at 1 p.m. ET on Monday, November 18, on NCAA.com. The tournament kicks off on Thursday, November 21. The Demon Deacons will make their 28th NCAA appearance, including their 14th straight.

2024 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship

First Round – Wednesday, Nov. 6

• No. 2 Clemson 3, No. 15 Louisville 1
• No. 11 California 2, No. 6 North Carolina 1
• No. 3 Duke 2, No. 14 Virginia Tech 0
• No. 5 Wake Forest 2, No. 12 Syracuse 1
• No. 9 Virginia 2, No. 8 NC State 1
• No. 4 SMU 1, No. 13 Boston College 0
• No. 7 Stanford 3, No. 10 Notre Dame 2

Quarterfinals – Sunday, Nov. 10

• No. 2 Clemson 1, No. 7 Stanford 0
• No. 5 Wake Forest 2, No. 4 SMU 2 (2OT; WF 5-4 PK)
• No. 11 California 2, No. 3 Duke 0
• No. 9 Virginia 2, No. 1 Pitt 0

Semifinals – WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C. – Thursday, Nov. 14

• No. 5 Wake Forest 5, No. 9 Virginia 1
• No. 2 Clemson 3, No. 11 California 2

Final – WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C. – Sunday, Nov. 17

• No. 5 Wake Forest 1, No. 2 Clemson 1 (2OT; WF 7-6 PK)

2024 All-Tournament Team

• Prince Amponsah, Wake Forest (MVP)
• Trace Alphin, Wake Forest
• Bo Cummins, Wake Forest
• Cooper Flax, Wake Forest
• Joran Gerbet, Clemson
• Adam Lundegard, Clemson
• Alex Meinhard, Clemson
• Alfredo Ortiz, California
• Malcolm Zalayet, California
• Nick Dang, Virginia
• Paul Wiese, Virginia