Don’t look now, but NC State women’s soccer is surging as it paves its way through the final stretch of the 2023 regular season.
After crushing Syracuse (2-12-2, 0-7-1 ACC) 2-0 at Dail Soccer Stadium in Raleigh, the Wolfpack (3-7-6, 2-3-3 ACC) is 2-1 in its last three matches. For a team that had only won one match until October, NC State is playing with an impressive level of confidence and poise that was on full display against the Orange.
“We’ve had some ups and downs, but the girls keep trucking along and we’re in a decent position,” said head coach Tim Santoro. “And I think you have to give credit to the players — not everything is lost.”
While NC State and Syracuse looked similar on the scoreboard with five shots on goal each, the Wolfpack took a crucial 1-0 lead in the first half and never looked back, dictating the match before sealing the win with an 87th minute goal.
The Wolfpack put the pressure on early offensively. In just the 14th minute, freshman forward Hannah Jibril earned a penalty kick after drawing contact in the box. She coolly drove home her first goal of her collegiate career and gave the Pack an early lead.
“I was getting a little nervous, but I mean, everyone was just saying, ‘relax, take your time,’” Jibril said. “And the goalie almost got it for a second. So, I was a little nervous, but it went in, and I was happy.”
Even with Jibril’s confidence-boosting goal, NC State couldn’t find another goal until the final minutes of the match. Senior forward Jameese Joseph blazed her way down the left sideline before crossing it to junior midfielder Annika Wohner who didn’t think twice about shutting the door on Syracuse.
“[Starting strong] is definitely always big in the ACC,” Wohner said. “I mean, the first goal gives us a little confidence, makes it harder for them. So it’s always good to get the first one. Then it took us a while to get the second one, but we put it away, so that’s great.”
On the other end of the pitch, junior goalkeeper Olivia Pratapas and the Pack’s back-four shut down any chance of Syracuse getting on the board. Pratapas posted her third shutout of the season while tallying five saves.
“[Pratapas] has been steady,” Santoro said. “And the back line in front of her, they bend but don’t break. And again, you get shutouts in this league — I don’t care who you’re playing — they’re hard to get. Wins are hard to get. Points are hard to get.”
Pratapas’ second straight shutout was complimented by a strong offensive effort that made for an impressive and important win for NC State. Once at the bottom of the ACC table, the Wolfpack is now eyeing the sixth and final spot in the conference tournament with just a week of play left around the league.
The the red-and-white’s recent results have been powered by a relentless perseverance and belief in each other — something that may just keep the team playing past its final two matches of the regular season.
“We just keep each other going every day,” Jibril said. “[We] got to keep pushing. If anything happens, we just keep it going, and that’s what kept us in here today.”
However, the road to a potential ACC Tournament appearance for NC State is tough, especially considering its final two opponents, No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 1 Florida State.
With one final home match left, the Pack’s performance against the Fighting Irish may just make or break its postseason chances. But despite Notre Dame’s formidable play, NC State is taking it day by day, treating the Irish as just another team.
“I think they’re ranked in the top 10 right now,” Wohner said. “It’s just a number, so we just go in the game, we give it our all and hopefully get the [win] and then see where it takes us. [We’re going] day by day.”
Kickoff in the Pack’s final home match of the regular season is set for Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. in Raleigh.
