Final Score: VCU 2, No. 7 Wake Forest 0
Location: Winston-Salem, N.C. (Spry Stadium)
Records: VCU 1-0-0, Wake Forest 0-1-0
 
The short story:  VCU raced out to a 2-0 lead by the 21st minute after goals from Simon Fitch and William Hitchcock, then allowed just one shot on goal during the final 21 minutes while playing with 10 men to preserve the win.
 
QUICK FACTS

• VCU, who has beaten two top 10 opponents since 2017, earned its highest-ranked win since a 2-1 victory over No. 6 Georgetown on Sept. 11, 2014.
• The Rams held a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal, but Wake Forest outshot VCU 20-10 overall.
• Mario Sequeira made five saves in goal to record the shutout.
• Fitch scored the third goal of his career.
• Hitchcock scored his first career goal for VCU.
• Celio Pompeu recorded an assist and a team-high three shot attempts, but was sent off in the 69th minute after receiving his second yellow card.
• Seven different Rams recorded at least one shot.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• VCU jumped on the Demon Deacons in the 10th minute and took a 1-0 lead when Fitch scored from six yards out on a deflected corner kick that went in off the crossbar.
• The Rams doubled their lead in the 21st minute after forcing the Demon Deacons into a turnover in their own box. Pompeu's initial shot was saved, but William Hitchcock brought down the clearance and found the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
• Ethan Manheim nearly scored the 25th minute as he caught Wake Forest's goalkeeper off his goal line, but his chip shot from 60 yards bounced off the crossbar.
• Sequeira palmed the ball away for a save in the 46th minute after a scissor kick from David Wrona to keep the Demon Deacons scoreless.
• Pompeu was issued his second yellow card and was sent off in the 69th minute, forcing the Rams to finish the game with 10 men.
• In the 78th minute, Sequeira made a huge save to deny Wake Forest's Julian Kennedy, who had been played in behind the Rams' defense.

QUOTING HEAD COACH DAVE GIFFARD
"I was proud of the boys tonight for grinding out a good result on the road to start the year. We were a little fortunate with the first goal, but we took the second one well and hit the post three times, and should have killed the game off by halftime. We didn't take our chances and we had to defend for long stretches, especially after Celio got his second yellow was sent off with about 30 minutes to go. Credit to the fellas, though, for defending in a low block for the rest of the game and making some big blocks or saves when we needed them. As I told the guys all week, no championships are won opening weekend, but we need to learn the lessons that the game showed us tonight and keep improving as we take this long journey towards our goals in November and December."

UP NEXT
VCU travels to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face No. 4 North Carolina on Sunday, August 29 for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.