NC State men’s soccer remains undefeated at home after taking down Gardner-Webb in a 3-1 midweek victory.
The Wolfpack’s (6-4) win was sparked by a solid offensive performance in the first half with goals from freshman forward Hakim Karamoko, freshman defender Lawson Abass and graduate forward Scotty Taylor.
The first half saw an offensive explosion, in which all four goals in the game were scored. Gardner-Webb (2-5-1) started the scoring off with a bang in the fifth minute with a strike to the top left corner of the goal. However, the red-and-white bounced back quickly in the tenth minute when Karamoko nailed a shot into the back of the net with an assist from junior defender Dylan Mitchiner.
“I didn’t see heads drop, I saw a calmness about us,” said head coach George Kiefer. “That’s a sign of a good team because you’re going to go down [and] you’re going to go up.”
The Pack seized the lead in the 15th minute when Abass headed a ball into the net off a corner kick by junior midfielder Will Buete, putting the red-and-white up 2-1. The score by Abass marked his first collegiate goal — rewarding him for all the work he’s dedicated to improve his game.
“It feels amazing,” Abass said. “It’s not just about me, but it’s also about my teammates.”
The Pack padded its lead in the 41st minute when Taylor scored a nifty goal whilst heavily guarded by a defender, assisted by sophomore midfielder Calem Tommy. The goal by Taylor before the first half ended was the final goal of the game, capping off the red-and-white’s scoring streak of three unanswered goals.
The second half of the match did see nearly as much offense as both squads went scoreless. Gardner-Webb controlled most of the second period with five corner kicks, seven shots and four shots on goal. Despite the strong offensive push from Gardner-Webb, the Pack’s defense held strong, pitching a second half shutout.
“I thought defensively, the guys did a much better job in the second half,” Kiefer said. “I think we were just a little too far apart without the ball in the first half.”
Goalkeeper junior Lucas Hatsios had a standout performance in this game and had a heavy hand in shutting down Gardner-Webb after its first goal in the fourth minute of the game. Hatsios set his season high in saves with seven, which accounts for half of his total saves this season.
Next up, the Wolfpack will prepare to host No. 15 Notre Dame, on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. in Raleigh.
