New England Soccer Today

NCAA: 12th-ranked Providence Falls to Wake Forest

Photo credit: Providence College

The Carolinas have proven to be particularly unkind for the highest-ranked men’s soccer team in New England.

Twelfth-ranked Providence College conceded twice before the break and couldn’t dig themselves out in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to 2nd-ranked Wake Forest at W. Dennie Spry Soccer Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Two days after they suffered a season-opening 4-2 loss to 4th-ranked North Carolina, the Friars found themselves down early after Luis Argudo tallied inside of six minutes. The Demon Deacons doubled their lead in the 27th minute after Kevin Politz nodded a Brandon Servania corner kick. Argudo notched another in the 48th minute, but Providence responded through Liam Wilson in the 49th minute. But Wake had the final say thanks to a Jon Bakero goal in the 74th minute.

After conceding an early goal to Argudo, Mac Steeves gave the Friars their best chance to get on level terms when he found an open look in the box, only to lift it over the bar in the 25th minute. Politz made Providence pay for its wastefulness less than two minutes later when he outjumped his mark to glance through Servania’s corner kick.

Any chance of turning the tide after the break was immediately dashed after Ema Twumasi crossed it for Argudo at the far post, where he tapped through his second goal of the match, prompting a host of Wake players to climb the brick edifice that is the Walt Chyzowych Wall to greet the home support in the 48th minute.

Seconds after Argudo’s second tally, Providence finally collected its first corner, which they used to maximum effect. Joao Serrano sent it near post, where keeper Andreu Mundet made the initial save before Wilson emerged to knock it through in the 49th minute.

Providence pressed for another in the wake of Wilson’s strike. Steves hit the post in the 57th minute while Malcolm Duncan punched a point blank shot on frame that was denied by Mundet in the 60th minute.

But Wake put it out of reach in the 73rd minute when Bakero played a nifty give-and-go with Justin McMaster near the top of the box that allowed the former to send it through.

With the loss, Providence opens the season 0-2-0. They’ll look to rebound on Saturday when they face interstate rival Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I.

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