App State went toe-to-toe against 2022 NCAA tournament qualifier Wake Forest in a 1-0 loss in its season-opener, Thursday night at Spry Stadium.

Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Kerry Eagleston led the defensive effort with six saves, including several highlight-reel efforts, playing back in her hometown of Winston-Salem. The App State defense as a whole limited the Demon Deacons to just seven shots on target, and forced turnovers in the midfield throughout the match.

The lone blemish on the evening came in the 25th minute, when a Wake Forest cross attempt was blocked, and ricocheted into the back of the net.

The Mountaineers had several quality scoring chances in the opening 45 minutes. Just two minutes into play, Sarah Widderich had an opportunity inside the Demon Deacon box off of a Mountaineer forced turnover. Midway through the half, the Deacs narrowly prevented an own goal, clearing a ball off the goal line.

In the second stanza, freshman Olivia Simon, who earned a start in her first career match drove a shot towards the top of the goal, but the Wake Forest goalkeeper was able to just get a glove on the ball to deflect it over the crossbar in the 55th minute. Summer Bowman also saw action in her collegiate debut, tallying a shot on goal.

Stephanie Barbosa put pressure on the Demon Deacons in the second half as well. In the 60th minute she was able to turn a two-on-one into a shot for Izzi Wood, and then with seven minutes to play in the match ripped a one-timer on goal off of an App State free kick.

Barbosa, Shannon Studer, Mumu Guisasola, Kaitlyn Little, and Skyler Walk played all 90 minutes for the Mountaineers.

App State returns to Boone on Sunday where they will face off with George Mason in their home-opener at 1 p.m. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.