WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Appalachian State University men's soccer was unable to keep with the attack off ACC opponent Wake Forest, falling 4-0 Tuesday night at W. Dennie Spry Stadium.

With the loss, the Mountaineers drop to 4-3-1 on the season before opening conference play on Saturday. The Demon Deacons improve to 5-1-3 overall.

"We just made too many mistakes and were outplayed," head coach Matt Nelson said. "We have to be able to bounce back and get ready for conference play."

Junior goalkeeper Danny Free matched his career-high in saves for a match with eight on the night, stopping seven shots in the opening half. The Demon Decons totaled 20 shots for the match.

After being scoreless in the first 20 minutes, Wake Forest got on the scoreboard in the 26^th minute when forward Michael Gamble fired a shot off the crossbar, but Sean Okoli found the ball at his feet behind Free and netted the rebound for his third goal of the season.

Wake Forest found the back of the net once again in the 37^th minute when the Apps turned the ball over in the defensive third and Deacon midfielder Jared Watts  fired the ball past Free for his first goal of the season.

The Demon Deacons controlled the first half, tallying seven shots on goal and 15 total. Appalachian could only manage just two shots, none troubling goalkeeper Michael Lisch.

The Deacons picked up where they left off in the second half as freshman Collin Martin recorded his first collegiate goal of his career in the 50^th minute. Martin calmly dribbled past Free in the App State box and scored Wake's third goal of the match.

Wake Forest added its final goal of the match when Jake Schemper received a cross from Teddy Mullin and beat Free for his first goal of the season.

Seniors David Dodge and Nate Latigue had the only shots on goal for the night as the Mountaineers fired five shots for the match.

The Apps will return to the field to open Southern Conference play on Saturday, Sept. 29 when they travel to UNCG. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.