The Deacs may not be the top-ranked men's soccer team in the country in every poll, but their 2-2 draw against Clemson Oct. 19, and their 3-1 victory over Elon Oct. 23, earned them the program's first No. 1 ranking in school history in the Soccer Times Coaches' Poll.

The Deacons have spent 15 straight weeks in the Top 25 and six weeks in the Top 5. Despite No. 1 St. John's tying Syracuse and UCLA defeating 2nd-ranked Stanford, the Deacs remained the No. 2 team in the Soccer America rankings and, surprisingly slipped to No. 3 in the NSCAA Coaches' Poll.

Clemson, ranked No. 4 in the country and 2nd in the region, came into Spry Stadium with the nation's most productive offense. They ended the Deacons five-game shutout streak by scoring two goals in the first 20 minutes of the match.

The Tigers countered off a Deacon turnover for both goals. Steven Rhyne played a through ball to striker Dimelon Westfield that led to a breakaway and goal in the 14th minute. The two combined five minutes later when Rhyne played Westfield through for a second breakaway and the second goal of the game. The Deacs went into the half down 2-0.

"Both goals came from our mistakes with the ball," Head Coach Jay Vidovich said. "After we turned the ball over, we failed to press, we put ourselves in bad positions and they pushed through quickly while we were ball watching."

Sophmore Ryan Caugherty said, "It reminded us of St. John's.We were down early in that game too, but battled back. We just tried not to panic and do that again."

The Deacons returned after halftime with stronger defense that led to the opportunities the team needed, Vidovich said. The team capitalized in the 55th minute when freshman Justin Moose found junior Jeremiah White at the top of the penalty area. White hesitated before lining up a right-footed rip that beat keeper Doug Warren at the near post.

Sophomore Amir Lowery scored the Deacs second goal off a corner kick with less than 20 minutes left to even the score at 2-2. Moose served an out-swinging corner that junior Kelvin Jones headed wide. Lowery trapped the ball with his chest then sent it into the back of the net with a left-footed volley. It was his first career goal.

The Deacs nearly broke the 2-2 tie shortly after the second goal, but a header by Jones off a corner kick was cleared off the line by a Tiger defender. The game moved into overtime with the score even at 2-2 after regulation.

During the second overtime, the Tigers stepped up the pressure and forward John Cooper nearly scored, but junior goalkeeper William Hesmer made a diving save to rob him of a goal and salvage a 2-2 draw for the Deacs.

Despite the fact that the game was played over fall break, a crowd of nearly 3,771 fans attended, the largest crowd in Spry Stadium history.

With the draw Clemson moved to 9-1-2 on the season and 2-1-1in the ACC, while the Deacs remained undefeated at 9-0-3 and 3-0-1 in the conference.

The draw propelled the team to its first No. 1 ranking of the season, a ranking they put on the line when non-conference opponent Elon came to Spry Stadium. Elon scored first, surprising the Deacons in the 11th minute of the game. Phoenix forward Paul Bellacqua collected a cross inside the 18 with time enough to shoot. Hesmer dove left to collect the shot, but the ball deflected off junior Kelvin Jones' leg, sending it into the open, left corner of the net.

"We weren't sharp from the beginning," Vidovich said. "We didn't play disciplined and that forced us into a position where we had to come from behind."

The Demon Deacons worked to overcome the 1-0 defecit, moving the ball through the Elon defense, looking for openings. The pressure mounted until the 30th minute when Moose centered the ball to White from the right wing. The ball popped off a defender and rebounded off the crossbar back into White's feet. Close to the goal and with no one in his way, White finished the ball with ease for an unassisted goal.

With the score notched at 1-1, the Deacs pressure mounted before the Deacons scored the go-ahead goal in the 40th minute.

Wake Forest moved the ball through the Phoenix defense into sophomore Wiggy Saunders feet at the top of the eighteen. Saunders laid the ball off to oncoming Caugherty who ripped the ball with his left foot past the goalkeeper, against the left post. Sophomore substitute Stephen Keel collected the rebound and sent it into the back of the net, giving the Deacs a 2-1 lead at the half.

The Deacs continued to play strong in the second half, outshooting Elon, however, it was not until the 84th minute that the team scored its third goal.

Freshman Grey Ballard headed a cross by freshman Ryan Alexander into the top left corner of the goal. It was the third goal scored by the Deacon bench and it gave the team the 3-1 advantage they would hold until the game's finish.

"It was a disappointing performance on our part," Lowery said. "Our heads weren't in the right place for this one."

The win was the 100th of Vidovich's career, and it moved the team to 10-0-3 on the season.

They will put their unbeaten record on the line when they travel to Chapel Hill Oct. 26. to take on North Carolina. The Tar Heels, 10-5 on the year and 2-2 in league play, are the defending NCAA national champions, yet are presently unranked in the Soccer Times Coaches' Poll.

The Deacs and No. 20 Coastal Carolina are the only undefeated Divison I teams left in the country.