The NC State men’s soccer team finished up its season earlier this week after a first-round loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament. With a record of just 5-12 (1-7 ACC), the team will not be selected for the NCAA Tournament. The Pack’s 12 losses are the most for the program since it lost 14 games in 2002, and this was the third year in a row that State failed to win more than one conference game.
At the end of the season, head coach Kelly Findley was relieved of his duties, and State will be conducting a nationwide search to find his replacement. For Findley, this season marked the end of a six-year stint with the Wolfpack that resulted in a 45-51-13 (9-33-9 ACC) record and failed to produce a postseason appearance.
State’s struggles this season were a direct result of the team’s inability to finish on its chances. The Wolfpack outshot its opponents 226-159 on the year, but allowed nine more goals than it scored.
The Pack also put pressure on opponents with corner kicks, racking up 92 corner attempts on the season compared to just the 63 taken against the team. State was able to attack opponents and create offensive pressure throughout games, but was not efficient when it came to getting the ball into the back of the net.
One huge reason for the Pack’s poor season was its performance at home at Dail Soccer Stadium. State was just 3-6 (1-3 ACC) in Raleigh this season, and the team never truly was able to capture the home-field advantage.
The failure to post a winning record at home this year for the Pack may have been a result of the atmosphere it experienced at home, as the average attendance at home for the team was just 814, compared to the average of 1,547 fans the team experienced in road games.
Another possible reason for the Pack’s hardships in front of goal this season was the loss of redshirt sophomore forward Ade Taiwo. Taiwo scored three goals in the first six games of the year, but suffered a season-ending knee injury against Virginia Tech in mid-September. The injury was the third of its kind for Taiwo, who suffered an ACL injury in both high school and his freshman year at State.
The season was not all bad for the Wolfpack though, as certain individuals did find personal success throughout the season. One highlight for State was sophomore midfielder Julius Duchscherer.
Duchscherer scored a team-high nine goals, and posted four assists. The nine goals for Duchscherer ranked as the third most in the entire ACC this season, and his 50 shots were also the third most in the conference. Both Duchscherer’s goals and assists totals were new career highs for him.
Another highlight for the Wolfpack was sophomore forward Tanner Roberts. Roberts scored four goals this season and was credited with two assists. Both of these numbers were improvements from his freshman season, which saw him score just one goal and record no assists.
Roberts’ goal total was also the second highest on the team, behind only Duchscherer. Along with Roberts, sophomore Clayton Sparks and senior Lukas Zarges both put together good seasons for State, with each finishing the year with three goals and two assists.
The 2016 season for the men’s soccer program will not be remembered as a good one for Wolfpack fans, but moving forward, the team shows promise. With just four seniors on the roster this year, fans can hope to see the Pack find success in coming seasons behind players such as Duchscherer and Roberts, as well as a new head coach.
