A Tight Contest at FirstEnergy Stadium
Wake Forest's men's soccer team opened its 2026 campaign with a 1‑0 loss to No. 10 Akron at FirstEnergy Stadium, ending a perfect start to the season.
Goalkeeper Jonah Mednard kept the Demon Deacons in contention with five saves, three of them in the first half, but Akron finally broke through in the 84th minute.
Noa Testa's decisive strike came assisted by Brett Kaminski and Paulo Paiva, slipping past the Wake Forest defense to claim the winner.
After the goal, Wake Forest generated two chances but could not find an equalizer, despite a spirited effort from its back line.
Centerbacks Daniel Krueger and Mason Sullivan completed the full 90 minutes, marking their second straight start, while right‑back Copeland Berkley made his full‑career debut.
Veteran Jeffrey White appeared in his 60th career game for the Deacons, the most appearances among the current roster.
Coach Muuss praised the team's competitive spirit, noting that a single lapse cost them the result, and he looks forward to the next road test against Bowling Green on Monday, Aug. 31.