Another game, another test for the N.C. State men’s soccer team this week, as it takes on the North American Soccer League’s Carolina Railhawks at WakeMed Soccer Park Friday morning.
The Wolfpack kicked off its preseason with a 1-0 win over the Charlotte Eagles Saturday, and will look to build on a strong defensive showing in the second friendly match of its spring season. Head coach Kelly Findley highlighted the need for continuous improvement in State’s second consecutive game against professional opposition.
“We’re always looking to get better at our process,” Findley said. “We’re working on group defending and on our ability to play in pressure and out of pressure. I also think our attacking needs to be a little bit sharper, which will come with time, but that’s definitely something we’re trying to improve.”
In these early days of preparation for its regular season in the fall, Findley said his team is also trying to increase its conditioning.
“Usually we use this spring spell of games as a mini-season,” Findley said. “We recovered on Monday, did fitness with the ball on Tuesday, made sure our attacking shape was good Wednesday and then tried to clean up our defending as a group on Thursday. We did some restarts and that will prepare us for Friday.”
Nothing can replicate the value of game experience. With the Railhawks literally right down the road, N.C. State has a barometer against which to measure progress; a barometer consisting of professional athletes that will test the Wolfpack’s mettle.
“Professional players are usually a little bit smarter, more mature and experienced so you have to deal with their ability to concentrate and transition,” Findley said. “One of the ways they test us is with pressure. They press a little bit higher and everything’s a little bit faster, so you have to stay concentrated.”
That means senior right back Ryan Metts, senior center backs Moss Jackson-Atogi and Clement Simonin, and junior left back Reed Norton must stay disciplined and organized at the back.
Furthermore, the Wolfpack’s must find its goalkeeper of the future, be it junior Alex McCauley or junior Joe Mills, in the wake of losing former starting goalkeeper Fabian Otte.
With the professional nature of the opponent in mind, Findley will look to his veteran core and top young players to control the game and create chances while maintaining defensive strength by pressuring the Railhawks high up the field.
“Our plan is to press with three players,” Findley said. “That helps dictate where we win the ball. Our goal is trying to get a little more organized defensively, give our opponent a little bit different look with how we press. Ultimately, how we transition is always important and that’s something you can always get out of playing pro teams.”
In Findley’s 4-2-3-1 formation, the in-vogue system in modern soccer, of particular importance and difficulty is the interplay between the lone striker, senior forward Nick Surkamp, and the attacking trio in support behind him.
For Surkamp, tomorrow represents and opportunity to get on the score sheet, which he failed to do Saturday, albeit against professional opposition.
As the team’s leading scorer last season, Surkamp finished the fall 2013 campaign with eight goals in 16 matches and will use his speed to make surging runs in-behind the Railhawks’ defense.
“Their speed of play will be high,” Findley said. “They’re probably not going to be as organized as they usually are later in the season as they’re still in preseason, but guys are competing for spots and trying to win, so I think the game will be very competitive.”
N.C. State’s game against the Railhawks will kick off at 9:30 a.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.
