No. 2 NC State soccer dropped its first ranked matchup of the season 1-0 against No. 16 Virginia after a Wolfpack player was given a red card in the 8th minute.
“It changes the whole game, so I think the guys adjusted well and worked really hard,” head coach Marc Hubbard said. “Really unlucky call. But I’ll take it on the optimistic side that we dealt with a situation that we can learn from and apply later down the road.”
The Wolfpack (8-1-2, 1-1-2 ACC) suffered its first defeat of the season at the hands of the Cavaliers (7-1-2, 3-0-2 ACC). Nearly 3,000 fans filled the stands, creating an energetic atmosphere early on, but the noise gradually faded as the match progressed, like air slowly escaping from a balloon.
The action began early when junior forward Donavan Phillip drove forward with a clear chance on goal, but before he could take a shot, freshman UVA defender Zachary Ehrenpreis brought him down just outside the box. The tackle was borderline red-card worthy as Phillip, the nation’s leading goal-scorer, was nearly one-on-one with the UVA goalkeeper. However, Ehrenpreis escaped with only a yellow. Freshman defender Riley Maloney took the free kick with significant power, firing a competitive shot but the ball traveled just wide.
Three minutes later, Cavalier forward Marco Dos Santos collected the ball on the right wing and drove toward the center. He fired a bending left-footed shot that forced senior goalkeeper Logan Erb to make a full-stretch save. But the score remained even.
The match-defining moment occurred in the 8th minute when junior midfielder Tyler Caton challenged for a bouncing 50-50 ball. While attempting to win possession, his foot rose high and caught a UVA player in the face. The referee immediately reached for his back pocket and brandished a red card, reducing the Wolfpack to 10 men.
Despite the setback, the Wolfpack continued to threaten. Long throws and free kicks allowed them to push the Cavaliers back. In the 17th minute, after a long throw, senior midfielder Taig Healy whipped in a cross that Phillip met with a strong header. The shot was on target, forcing the Cavaliers goalkeeper into a reflex save. Sophomore defender Nikola Markovic reached the rebound first but fired over the bar.
The Wolfpack defense finally broke in the 20th minute when the Cavaliers worked the ball down the left flank and sent a cross into a crowded box. 6-foot-4 freshman forward Nicholas Simmonds timed his jump perfectly and headed the ball past Erb, who had no chance to stop it, giving the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead.
Neither team managed another shot on goal in the first half, sending the Wolfpack into halftime down a goal and a man.
In the second half, the Cavaliers clearly decided to sit back. They managed only one shot on goal after the break, unwilling to commit players forward and risk a Wolfpack counterattack.
The game slowed in the second half as the Pack struggled to create pressure while a man down. In the 81st minute, a Cavaliers counterattack moved the ball around the box before a deflection sent it to freshman forward Sami Oulouheu in front of goal with Erb out of position. Redshirt junior defender Jack Heffess came flying in from nowhere to make a diving block and keep the Wolfpack in the match.
“…It’s just part of our DNA,” Hubbard said. “So I think the guys sacrificed their bodies, they tried to win the game, so it’s just something I think that’s innate in all of us, and tonight was no different.”
Head official Sergio Gonzalez struggled to manage the game’s intensity as both teams flew into challenges and gave maximum effort. Home fans voiced their frustration after several questionable calls. Gonzalez issued a total of 11 yellow cards, cautions to both head coaches and a red card that irreversibly changed the outcome for the Pack.
When the final whistle blew, Hubbard and the entire Wolfpack team surrounded the officiating crew at midfield.
Despite suffering their first loss of the season, the Wolfpack faithful showed strong support at full time. As the players approached the stands, the home crowd rose to their feet and applauded the team’s effort.
Following the defeat, the Wolfpack sits ninth in the ACC standings and must now shift focus to a pivotal matchup against the Clemson Tigers this Friday at 7 p.m. However, they will be without their midfield anchor, Tyler Caton, who must serve a suspension after receiving a red card in this match.
