One late night at the sports desk, as I sat pondering the wonders of Deacon glory thus far in the fall of 2002 (and subsequently racking my mind for an editorial idea not related to football, foosball or Easy Mac), I came to the conclusion that we have been spoiled. Let's face it, we haven't even made it to Fall Break yet, and many a sporting Deac have reached national prominence ¯ and not all of them are playing football. So without further adieu, here is another glance at the Top 5 moments of the first half of Fall 2002 for Deac Sports.

5) Young Demon Deacons show promise and potential on gridiron

While it has been an up-and-down season thus far for the football team, one can't help but be excited about the future of this team. True freshman Chris Barclay and redshirt freshman Cornelius Birgs, both running backs, have stepped up in a major way and are huge factors in one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. Let's not forget sophomore linebacker Kellen Brantley and sophomore defensive back Caron Bracy, both of whom put the ¯ower in power. Face it Deac fans, for the first time in a long time, our vaunted football squad may be better than their Playstation dynasty equivalents we all have back in our dorm rooms.

4) Phillips breaks career assists record in volleyball

Our young volleyball team has made strides of improvement all fall, and a lot of that credit must go to the only senior on the squad, setter Ashlee Phillips. Phillips was finally given the press she deserves on Sept. 14, when she became the school's all-time career assist leader in a match against Dayton with No. 3,378. Phillips' mere presence has changed the outlook of Wake Forest volleyball this year, and if the Deacs make waves this fall or even in future years, Phillips will have played a major role in that success. There is no substitute for experience ¯ unless, of course, you have someone to teach you what their experience has taught them. And more Sports philosophy 101 will continue with É

3) Women's soccer rolls with winning streak

The women's soccer team burst onto the national scene right away this fall, winning nine straight ¯ and climbing as high as No. 6 in the national rankings ¯ before finally settling for a tie with N.C. State on Sept. 29. The Demon Deacons, who are currently No. 7 in the country, have been paced by the consistent offense of junior forward Katherine Winstead and the steadying goaltending of senior Erin Regan. The ACC is the place to be as far as soccer is concerned, and both the women's team and the men's squad (more on them later É if you keep reading É kind of like a shiny toy, isn't it?) have proven themselves to be the programs when it comes to the European football down on Tobacco Road.

1) (tie) Men's soccer finally defeats UVa. After a decade of dominance

What a game. And what a way to end a curse. UVa., long the beacon of the best in men' soccer, came to Spry Stadium on Sept. 7 ¯ a place they haven't lost for 10 years. The Demon Deacs, who have seemingly been ready to fly onto the national scene for two years now, may have finally gotten over the hump with a solid 2-1 victory over the 'Hoos in the rain. The Deacons, who were then ranked No. 13, netted two goals in the first half and then held off the No. 6 Cavs, who just a week earlier, were numero uno.

1) (tie) Field hockey slays the Terrapins

The Wake Forest field hockey team has long been one of the best in the country, but the precluding "one of" should have been lifted off that tag on Sept. 21.

Maryland beat the Demon Deacons three times last year ¯ in overtime in the ACC tournament finals, and in double overtime in the NCAA Final Four, but the team continued to plug away, and finally slayed the queen of field hockey, 2-1 in overtime. Sophomore Kelly Dostal has been money all fall, and continued that against the Terps, scoring both Deacon goals.

So there you have it. If all this can happen in just under half a semester, can you imagine how great this whole year could be? I know I am drooling at the potential of a golden era of Wake Forest sports being ushered in.