Michigan to Play Host to Wake Forest in NCAA Tournament Second Round

» Over its last six matches, U-M is 6-0 and has outscored opponents 15-3, including a trio of clean sheets.
» Seniors Nicki Hernandez and Raleigh Loughman are tied for the team lead in goals with nine.
» The winner will advance to the NCAA Sweet 16, where they will take on the winner of Friday's early match between Tennessee and Washington State, at U-M Soccer Stadium on Sunday (Nov. 21) at 1 p.m.

THIS WEEK
Friday, Nov. 19 -- vs. Wake Forest - NCAA Tournament Second Round (U-M Soccer Stadium), 5 p.m.
Tickets | Live Stats | Live Video | Tournament Central | Bracket

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The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan women's soccer team (16-3-3) will host Wake Forest (16-5) in an NCAA Tournament second-round match on Friday (Nov. 19) at 5 p.m. inside U-M Soccer Stadium.

U-M Soccer Stadium also will host a Friday matchup between third-seeded Tennessee and Washington State at 2 p.m. The winners of Friday's matches will move on to the Sweet 16 on Sunday (Nov. 21) at 1 p.m. inside U-M Soccer Stadium.

Tickets for all three matches can be purchased online at MGoBlue.com/tickets, by phone (734-764-0247 or 1-866-296-6849), or in person at the U-M Ticket Office (1000 S. State St.). Tickets are priced at $8 for reserved seats, $6 for general admission and $3 for students. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $3 each.

Wolverine Bites

• The last time U-M held an NCAA second- and third-round match at U-M Soccer Stadium was the 2013 season, when Michigan blanked both Illinois State (3-0) and Notre Dame (1-0) to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight.

• The Wolverines are outshooting opponents 435-217 and outscoring teams 41-17. They rank No. 6 in the NCAA in shots (19.77/match) and are 15-2-2 on the year when outshooting teams.

• Senior Raleigh Loughman and fifth-year Nicki Hernandez each own nine goals on the season to lead the team and have surpassed their previous career highs in the category. Loughman has a career-high 26 points on the season, with seven assists supplement her goal output. Her previous high was eight (2019). Hernandez netted eight goals in her sophomore season (2018) and is one assist off her career-best six assists. Her 23 points this season are a career high.

• Over its last six matches, U-M is 6-0 and has outscored opponents 15-3, including a trio of clean sheets.

• U-M's NCAA Tournament berth is the 15th in program history. Michigan is 12-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament matches contested at home. The Wolverines also boast an impressive 10-1-1 record at U-M Soccer Stadium this season.

• The Wolverines are 12-0-1 when leading at the half, 12-1-1 when scoring the first goal in a contest, and 13-2-3 against unranked opponents on the season.

Opponent Preview

Wake Forest
All-time series against the Demon Deacons: Wake Forest leads 2-0-1

Wake Forest enters the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 16-5 overall record. They suffered an overtime loss to Florida State (2-1) in the semifinals of the ACC Championship, but rallied to best Harvard (3-0) in the NCAA Tournament's opening round. The Demon Deacons are ranked 27th in the NCAA RPI and received votes in the United Soccer Coaches. Senior forward Shayla Smart leads the team offensively with 11 goals. She is ranked fifth in the country in game-winning goals, having secured a Wake Forest victory six times this season. The Deacons also rank second in the ACC in save percentage (.803) and fourth in shots per game (17.38).

The Wolverines and the Demon Deacons have met thrice previously, each with unsatisfactory results for the Maize and Blue. Wake Forest leads the series 2-0-1. The last meeting resulted in a Michigan loss (4-0; Aug. 30, 2018). U-M has faced the Deacs in a prior NCAA Tournament matchup. The two played to a 1-0 Michigan loss in the 1999 Tournament's second round in Winston Salem, N.C. This weekend's event will be Michigan's first time welcoming Wake Forest to Ann Arbor.

The average daily temperature this week in Winston-Salem is 61ºF. The weather will be in the high 20 and low 30s at the time of Friday's match in Ann Arbor.

Tennesse
All-time series against the Volunteers: First meeting

Tennessee enters the second round of the NCAA Tournament at No. 8 in the NCAA RPI rankings and No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Volunteers have a 19-2 overall record and are coming off of a flawless SEC Championship run, where they bested Florida (5-2), No. 21 Ole Miss (3-2), and No. 5 Arkansas (3-0) to claim their first SEC Tournament title since 2008. Tennessee received a three-seed in the NCAA Tournament and took down Lipscomb 3-0 in their first-round matchup.

The Vols are an offensive powerhouse, ranking sixth nationally in total goals (58), ninth in shots per game (19.67) and scoring offense (2.76), and 11th in shots-on-goal per game (9.19). They also lead or fall second in the Southeastern Conference in 14 of the 19 different team statistics tracked by the NCAA.

Washington State
All-time series against the Cougars: Michigan leads 1-0-0

Washington State 14-2-4, and is ranked 15th in the United Soccer Coaches poll and 28th in the NCAA RPI. The Cougars previously took down Montana (3-0) to advance to the second round. WSU ranks eighth in the country in goals-against per game (.524) and come in third nationally in shots per game (20.10). Freshman goalkeeper Nadia Cooper ranks sixth nationally in save percentage (.862) and ninth in goals against (0.526). Fifth-year forward Elyse Bennett leads the team offensively with 10 goals, including two game-winning shots.

U-M previously defeated Washington State 2-1 on Sept. 13, 2019.