Freshman Tziarra King has been one of the centerpieces of the NC State women’s soccer team this season. One of five freshmen in the starting rotation, King’s speed and athletic ability has been an asset for the Wolfpack so far. After a disappointing 2015 campaign, NC State is off to a hot start, accumulating a 6-2-1 record in the early going, with King being a major reason for the turnaround.
Better known as “Zee” by her teammates, King hails from Sicklerville, New Jersey, where she played four years of high school varsity soccer. After playing for one year at Our Lady of Mercy Academy, she transferred to Winslow Township High School and played the next three years on the varsity squad. She also ran track in high school and was a state champion in the 4×400 relay. King’s athletic ability runs in the family, as her father played collegiate basketball and two of her brothers played college soccer.
After scoring 51 goals as a high school senior and being selected to the New Jersey all-state first team, King chose NC State as her collegiate destination.
“Everything about the atmosphere just felt right to me, and the coaching staff, I definitely felt like they were the perfect match for me, and then on top of that all the girls that were here were very welcoming,” King said.
King has helped rejuvenate the Wolfpack’s offensive attack this year. Through NC State’s first three games, King has recorded four goals and logged a team-high 25 shots.
“She’s a dynamic one-v.-one player,” head coach Tim Santoro said. “A great dribbler, fast and can score goals. She has a lot of qualities you can’t teach.”
After not tallying a point in her first three games, King broke out against Navy with two goals and has produced either a goal or an assist in every game since then except for one. “It was kind of rough to start off but now I’m starting to adjust,” King said. “Now that I’m a few games in, I definitely feel like I’m getting more accustomed to how it needs to be.”
Off the field, King’s presence is also felt. “There’s always a smile on her face,” Santoro said. “She’s such an outgoing, happy kid all the time and it’s infectious.”
Team chemistry has been an important part of the Wolfpack’s turnaround this year. Despite being one of the youngest teams in the ACC, NC State has played like an experienced squad.
“We’ve really been vibing,” King said. “Since preseason we’ve had that bond so I feel like that’s going to carry us throughout the season.” As the season progresses, the Wolfpack will need that to keep working in their favor against a tough crop of ACC opponents.
As NC State heads into conference play, Santoro and the rest of the team will have to rely on King’s on- and off-field presence, both of which have drawn high marks. “She’s a better person than she is a player, and that’s saying a lot,” Santoro said.
King and the rest of the team will look to continue their impressive start as they take on UNC in Chapel Hill on Friday.
