The newly-ranked No. 17 NC State women’s soccer team secured its first road win of the season in a 2-1 comeback win over Elon on Thursday, Sept. 1.
After the Phoenix (1-2-1) got out to an early lead, NC State (4-0-1) took advantage of its corner kicks to score a pair of unanswered goals. Graduate defender Jenna Butler, who scored the game-tying goal in the Pack’s last match, once again played hero as she headed in the go-ahead goal in the 78th minute.
After receiving a corner kick from fellow graduate defender Lulu Guttenberger, Butler played the Pack’s set piece perfectly as she guided an arcing shot into the side netting for the game-winning goal.
While NC State capitalized on its chances provided by corner kicks, the Pack seemed to live in Elon’s defensive third as it outshot the Phoenixes by 15 and earned seven corner kicks. But while the Pack had a high volume of shots, only four of its 23 were on goal.
Even with the Wolfpack outshooting Elon by the end of the match, the Phoenix drew first blood in the 13th minute. The game-opening goal prompted a barrage of shots that ensued from the red-and-white’s offense as it searched for an equalizer.
The Wolfpack finally found what it was looking for at the end of the first half when senior midfielder Jaiden Thomas took control of a ricocheting ball inside the Phoenix box after a corner kick. Thomas, who recorded an assist in each of NC State’s last three matches, finally found the net herself when she sent the bouncing ball over the heads of Elon’s defenders in the 43rd minute.
After leaving for the locker room tied 1-1, both teams looked for a winning edge in the second half. Elon fired off multiple shots at junior goalkeeper Maria Echezarreta and the rest of NC State’s defense as the Phoenix looked for its own go-ahead goal. However, Echezarreta and the back four held fast as Butler and the offense found the winner at the other end.
More shots down the stretch from sophomore midfielder Annika Wohner and Butler almost added to the Wolfpack’s lead, but the scoreline remained 2-1 as the final ticked off the clock, granting NC State its first road win of the 2022 campaign.
After more late-game goals to save its undefeated record, NC State will briefly return home for a showdown with Harvard before jetting off on a week-long, cross-country road trip where the Pack will face off against Nebraska and South Carolina.
NC State’s match against Harvard is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 4 at Dail Soccer Field.
