Wake Forest 2, Ohio State 1: Wake Forest Gets Title Satisfaction While Ohio State Can?t Find Any

CARY, N.C. — Zack Schilawski grew up in this small bedroom community outside Raleigh, playing youth league soccer and occasionally getting a chance to watch college and professional teams compete at SAS Soccer Park.

The Demon Deacons after winning the program’s first national championship. Wake Forest rallied in the second half.

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It was every child’s dream to play on that field, and maybe even to score a goal that would win a championship someday.

For Schilawski, a sophomore striker at Wake Forest, that day came Sunday. Taking a pass from his teammate Marcus Tracy, Schilawski scored the goal that gave the Demon Deacons a 2-1 victory against Ohio State in the College Cup men’s soccer title game.

Tracy, a junior forward, was named the most outstanding offensive player of the College Cup. After his goal in the 66th minute tied the score, he set up Schilawski’s winner in the 78th minute to complete Wake Forest’s rally from an early deficit.

Goalkeeper Brian Edwards earned the most outstanding defensive player award after making four saves for Wake Forest (22-2-2). Edwards, a fifth-year senior, came back for another year so he could have one more shot at a national title that had eluded the Demon Deacons last season when they lost in the semifinals of the College Cup.

“We’ve taken a lot of grief over the years — dying in beauty, ‘Oh, we can’t get it done in the tournament,’” Wake Forest Coach Jay Vidovich said. “But we just believed in what we were doing. It’s very gratifying.”

The smile on defender Julian Valentin’s bloodied face was proof enough. Valentin took a cleat to the face and needed 30 stitches after the match.

The ending was equally gut-wrenching for Ohio State, now 0-3 in championships in 2007. The Buckeyes lost the Bowl Championship Series football title game to Florida in January, then the men’s basketball team fell to the Gators in the N.C.A.A. tournament championship in April.

This time, the soccer team had the title in its sights after scoring the first goal. The Buckeyes (17-4-5) had carried play in early portions of the first half, quickly building a 1-0 lead on a goal by midfielder Roger Espinoza in the 13th minute that left Wake Forest scrambling to even the score.

With Ohio State applying most of the pressure early, Xavier Balc sent a corner kick into the penalty box, where it eventually bounced to Doug Verhoff in front. His header bounced off the right post and remained in the box. Espinoza, whom the Demon Deacons struggled to contain, rushed in from the left side and put the rebound past Edwards for the early lead.

Ohio State thought that would be enough.

“I mean, there was no reason to attack,” Espinoza said. “We were already winning. We thought we already had the game won — well, not won. We knew we didn’t need the second goal. We were just going to play and whatever happened, we were going to go with that. We just made a couple of mistakes.”

It did not help that Ohio State lost the junior defender Tim Gabel to a groin injury in the first half.

With time running out on its championship bid, Wake Forest broke through and tied the score on Tracy’s goal in the 66th minute. Forward Cody Arnoux set up the goal, taking the ball from Ohio State defender Jordan Lomnicki near midfield and moving it ahead before sending it to Tracy in the penalty box. He one-timed the shot, sending the ball high past goalkeeper Casey Latchem.

Tracy then set up Schilawski for the winner. Tracy moved up the right side and drew two defenders, sending the ball ahead to Schilawski for a clear shot in front.

Latchem immediately complained to officials and was given a yellow card. After the game, he approached the officiating crew and had to be pulled away by Espinoza. Latchem said he thought Tracy should have been called for a hand ball before the pass to Schilawski.

But it did not matter. For Wake Forest and Schilawski, the celebration was about to begin.

“It’s unbelievable,” Schilawski said. “Growing up here, I’ve seen a lot of great games on that field. Just to be a part of a game like that, much less to win it for the national championship, perfect, for sure.”

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