No. 1 Ohio State Advances to 2024 College Cup!

Saturday, December 7

Columbus, Ohio

5 p.m.

Ohio State

16-1-4, 7-1-2

No. 8 Wake Forest University

12-5-7, 4-2-2

Wake Forest

Ohio St.

No. 1 Ohio State Advances to 2024 College Cup!

12/7/2024 8:07:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Buckeyes downed No. 8 seed Wake Forest, 3-0, Saturday in Columbus

Final from Columbus, Ohio State 3, Wake Forest 0. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/jDapeAKJRQ
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 8, 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 1 seed and top-ranked Ohio State (16-1-4) earned its second trip to the NCAA College Cup in program history with a 3-0 win over No. 8 Wake Forest (12-5-7) Saturday in the 2024 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Ohio State will take on either No. 13 SMU or No. 12 Marshall next Friday in Cary, North Carolina in the 2024 College Cup. The match between the Mustangs and Thundering Herd was postponed until 3 p.m. Sunday because of inclement weather and poor field conditions at SMU.

Brian Maisonneuve, head coach of the Buckeyes, earned career win No. 50 with the victory over the Demon Deacons.

How it Happened
The Buckeyes took the lead in the 40' after David Wrona, who transferred to Ohio State two seasons ago after four years at Wake Forest, drew a penalty on Demon Deamon keeper Trace Alpin. Michael Adedokun took the penalty kick and converted high and to the right.

David Wrona drew the penalty and Michael Adedokun converted to make it 1-0 Buckeyes. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/3GSeQ83sAL
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 7, 2024

Ohio State added its second score early in the second half (48') when Luciano Pechota dribbled left of the Wake Forest goal before passing to a wide open David Ajagbe right at the penalty dot. The freshman forward took full advantage and scored high middle for a 2-0 Ohio State lead.

Pechota sets up Ajagbe to make it 2-0 Buckeyes. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/bJrDxrRS7a
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 7, 2024

Adekokun put Ohio State up 3-0 in the 59' on assists from Parker Grinstead and Pechota.

59' | Michael Adedokun makes it 3-0 Buckeyes from Parker Grinstead and Luciano Pechota. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/IFodX1zeZV
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 7, 2024

Check out goals No. 2 and 3 from field level to put the Buckeyes up 3-0. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/omYoMr4kWf
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 7, 2024

Wake Forest, the No. 8 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 overtime win over No. 9 Clemson last Sunday. The Demon Deacons defeated Maryland (2-1) in the second round before the win over the Tigers.

Ohio State finished the home portion of the 2024 season with an 10-0-4 record. On the year, the Buckeyes own 10 shutouts with keeper Max Trejo in net for seven clean sheets. In five postseason matches, two in Big Ten Tournament play and three in the NCAA tournament, Ohio State has allowed just two goals with three shutouts in postseason play

Ohio State and Wake Forest have met seven times in the series history. The Demon Deacons are 5-2. Prior to the win in Columbus Saturday, the Buckeyes earned a 3-0 victory in the last meeting in the 2022 NCAA Tournament First Round in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The teams clashed in the 2007 College Cup Finals with Wake Forest winning the national title after a 2-1 victory Dec. 16, 2007 in Cary, North Carolina.

Ohio State is the first team to end the regular-season ranked No. 1 after being unranked in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll since Wake Forest in 2015. New Mexico was unranked entering the 2011 season before climbing to No. 1 entering the NCAA Tournament.

Ohio State has played 10 teams this season that qualified for the 2024 NCAA Tournament and have posted an 8-1-2 record in 11 matches: SIUE (1-0), UCLA (0-1), Maryland (1-0), Michigan (2-0), Washington (2-0), Akron (1-0), Indiana (0-0-1), Western Michigan (1-0), Stanford (0-0-1) and Wake Forest (1-0).

In the 12 games vs the teams Ohio State has faced that made the NCAA Tournament this year, Michael Adedokun leads the Buckeyes with 17 points with six goals and five assists. David Wrona and Parker Grinstead each have been credited with two match-wining scores. Keeper Max Trejo is 6-0-1 while Patrick McLaughlin has posted a 3-1-1 record. In the 12 games, Ohio State has scored 28 goals while allowing 10.

Ohio State enters the NCAA College Cup with a wealth of experience. Nine rostered players have played 50 or more matches over their careers to date. Michael Adedokun (66), Thomas Gilej (63), Parker Grinstead (83), Luciano Pechota (59), Anthony Samways (72), Deylen Vellios (78), Tommaso Villa (54), David Wrona (85) and Ashton Bilow (52) lead the way.

The 16 wins this season are the second-most in program history behind the 2007 team that finished 17-4-5 after making it to the College Cup finals.

Michael Adedokun's 11 assists this season are the second most in program history behind Xavier Balc's 14 in 2007. Adedokun's 33 points (11g/11a) rank second as does his 81 shots on the year.

Ohio State's current winning percentage of .857/16-1-4) is the highest in program history. The 51 goals scored to date rates first all-time, passing the 47 scored in 1983. Ohio State has improved its win total by 10 games over the 2023 season (6-6-6), the best victory improvement in consecutive seasons (2 wins in 1973 to 11 in 1974 (+9).

Keeper Max Trejo has a goals against average of 0.49, a program record, with a 10-0-2 record. He's allowed just six goals on the year. Defender Anthony Samways has 14 career assists, good for the No. 10 spot all-time.

Mais Win 50 12724