NC State women’s soccer traveled to Davidson and fell to the Wildcats 1-0 on Sunday afternoon.
The Wolfpack (0-3-1) came into the game still looking for its first win under new head coach Gary Higgins, while Davidson (3-1) looked for a statement win against an in-state ACC team.
The game opened very slowly for both teams on the offensive side, with only three combined shots on goal in the first half. The only shot Davidson took during the first half found the back of the net, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
The second half saw more offense in comparison, as State outshot Davidson 8-3, but the Pack still could not find the back of the net. With an inability to tie the game in the second half, the Pack suffered its third loss of the season, dropping to 0-3-1.
“Obviously, mistakes are gonna happen, and how you react to those mistakes is going to be crucial,” Higgins said. “I do think we’ve made a few too many critical mistakes there in the first four games, and that was a little bit deflating. There’s nothing we can do about it. When it happens, we have to react positively.”
Having been shut out in three of four games, offensive struggles have defined NC State’s start to the season. The only game that was not a shutout was in its matchup against the East Carolina Pirates on Aug 17. That game ended in a 1-1 tie.
This is a major concern for Wolfpack fans. Only scoring one goal in the span of four games is bad enough, but the Pack hasn’t even begun conference play. The ACC is one of the best conferences in Division I soccer, and with the Pack’s current inability to score, it would be in serious trouble in this current condition come conference play.
Inability to score isn’t the aspect of the game that plagued NC State, as they struggled in multiple places, most notably the foul ratio. Davidson committed five fouls throughout the game, while State doubled that with 10.
Part of the issue may come from the system that Higgins is trying to implement. During a transition period under a coaching change, hiccups are to be expected, but with the ACC season coming closer every day, time is running out to figure out how to put the team in the best position to score goals and play more disciplined soccer.
“We’ll continue to work on the offensive side of the ball and practice and hopefully that will come but we’ve got to take this defeat on the chin and keep moving forward,” Higgins said.
NC State will continue its mission to get its first win on Wednesday, Aug. 27 when it hosts the Western Carolina Catamounts in Raleigh. The game is slated to start at 7 p.m.
