PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Despite the equalizer by redshirt senior Erik Sa to send the game into halftime at 1-1, the Demon Deacon attack flourished in the second half as the Rutgers men's soccer team fell in its season opener, 5-1, to national runner-up and No. 2 Wake Forest.

"It was learning experience for our young group, but I still feel we had moments, especially in the first half that we competed, battled and performed with one of the best teams in the country," said head coach Dan Donigan of his squad's season opening performance. "But we need to be able to sustain it for 90 minutes.

The first 10 minutes of the second half was the difference in the ball game tonight."

The Demon Deacons got on the scoreboard in the game's 6^th minute. Wake Forest capitalized by blocking a clear by Rutgers keeper Rafael Pereira inside the 18. Jon Bakero, who made the block, controlled the ball and passed back to teammate Brandon Servania to get an open look at goal.

Sa would score the equalizer, however, prior to the halftime horn to send the two squads back to the locker room tied at 1-1. The Watchung, New Jersey midfielder, who came off the bench to make his first field appearance since 2015, took a free kick from outside the top left corner of the box into the opposite corner in the 42^nd minute.

Wake Forest took over in the second half as Servania knocked in the game-winner from the top of the 18 under five minutes into the stanza. In all, the Demon Deacons responded to the 1-1 halftime tie with four unanswered scores, including three tallies within the stanza's first 10 minutes.

"We gave up three goals in less than 10 minutes in the second half and that's the difference," added Donigan. "It's the competitive difference in the way we started the second half. I give Wake Forest a lot of credit. They are a very dynamic team in the middle of the park, which creates a lot of things going forward for them and gets a lot of number going forward. It overwhelmed us and we didn't get the numbers back to help ourselves like we did in the first half. That was the difference in the game."

While Rutgers generated five attempts in the first half of play, Wake Forest denied the Scarlet Knights any looks on goal in the second half and ended the game outshooting RU, 19-5.

Pereira registered four saves in his official Scarlet Knight debut in goal. Fellow newcomer, freshman Zeno Mazzucato, also helped keep the Demon Deacons off the scoreboard with a clear at the far post as Wake Forest had an open look on goal midway thru the second half.

"Now it's a matter of bouncing back," said Donigan looking forward. "This was certainly one of the toughest weekends we'll face all year – going on the road and facing two ACC teams that are top five in the country. Still, we need to find a way to play for 90 minutes and not just 45."

The Rutgers men's soccer team returns to play on Sunday against national semifinalist and No. 4 UNC at 7:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

KNIGHT NOTES:
- The starting lineup consisted of six returnees including welcoming back redshirt sophomore forward Brian Hawkins and redshirt junior Miles Hackett from injury. Five Scarlet Knights, meanwhile, appeared in their first starting XI for Rutgers – Rafael Pereira, Bryce Washington, Ethan Vanacore-Decker, Vincent Borden and Zeno Mazzucato.
- All together, nine newcomers made appearances in the 2017 season opener.
- Erik Sa captured his sixth career goal. He has now totaled 21 points (6G, 9A) in his Rutgers career.

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