Junior forward Donavan Phillip continued his six-game scoring streak as NC State men’s soccer secured a victory at UNC-Wilmington to close its three-game road stretch.
The Wolfpack (8-0-2) bounced back after dropping from the No. 1 spot in the United Soccer Coaches poll, following a draw against ACC opponent Pittsburgh (4-4-2). That match marked the first time the Pack conceded a goal this season. Now sitting at No. 2 in the nation, the Pack traveled to the coast to face UNCW (3-4-2).
Phillip opened the scoring in the 13th minute, beating UNCW goalkeeper Trey Smiley with a shot into the bottom right corner. Phillip, the nation’s leading goal scorer, now has 14 goals this season — including four consecutive for the Pack.
Despite trailing, UNCW remained competitive, recording just one fewer shot on goal than NC State in the first half.
Between the 78th and 80th minutes, the Seahawks mounted their most dangerous spell of play, forcing senior goalkeeper Logan Erb into three consecutive saves. Capitalizing on Erb’s final stop, the Wolfpack transitioned quickly and covered the length of the field in 30 seconds. Senior midfielder Caden Tolentino then finished with a low strike into the bottom right corner, extending the lead to 2–0 with 10 minutes remaining.
Tolentino’s goal appeared to settle the Pack defensively, as the team did not concede another shot for the remainder of the match. Freshman defender Riley Maloney added a third and final goal in the 89th minute to seal the result.
The Wolfpack wasn’t dominant but was defensively sound. NC State managed seven shots on goal, compared to six for the Seahawks. Erb was outstanding between the sticks, saving every shot he faced, earning the Pack its ninth clean sheet in 10 games.
Head coach Marc Hubbard, who values set-piece opportunities, won’t be pleased that the Seahawks totalled seven corners compared to the Pack’s five. Furthermore, his squad failed to score on any of these set-piece attempts or even register a shot on target following a corner.
On top of the victory, starting sixth-year forward Ibrahim Conde made his return to action following a hamstring injury he suffered in the Pack’s third game of the season back on August 29th.
Next, NC State hosts the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers this Sunday at 6 p.m., with the match streaming live on the ACC Network.
