The NC State men’s soccer team defeated South Carolina in overtime by a score of 2-1 Tuesday night in Columbia and returns to Raleigh to face No. 5 Syracuse on Saturday.
Freshman attacking midfielder Zach Knudson opened the scoring in the 21st minute of play, latching onto a perfectly weighted through-ball played by sophomore right midfielder Travis Wannemuehler and poking home past the keeper to give State (6-5-3, 1-3-2 ACC) a 1-0 lead.
The goal was Knudson’s fourth of the season and Wannemuehler’s fourth assist.
The Gamecocks (7-7) would level the scoreline at one apiece shortly before halftime in the 40th minute. Pack junior goalkeeper Alex McCauley made an excellent kick save from short range, but the ball fell to a South Carolina player at the top of the box who drilled a shot into the side netting.
A scoreless second half that saw both sides get chances to win the game would force the match into overtime.
The Wolfpack avoided two close calls in the period, as twice South Carolina saw shots ping off the woodwork.
However, State would pull through in the end, and it was freshman Conor Donovan who rose to the occasion. In the 100th minute of play, sophomore Michael Bajza whipped in a free kick, which Donovan met with a leaping header to grab the golden goal victory.
“The guys worked hard and stuck to the game plan,” NC State Head Coach Kelly Findley said post-match in an interview with NC State athletics. “We battled for one key moment, and the guys got the win they deserved. It’s a great result for the group. We’re excited for the opportunity to face Syracuse on Saturday night in a big conference game.”
With the win, the Wolfpack keeps its hopes for an NCAA tournament alive and gains confidence for a massive ACC clash this weekend. NC State returns to Raleigh to take on the No. 5 ranked Syracuse Orange Saturday night at the Dail Soccer Stadium.
The last time a No. 5 ranked team came to Raleigh was Oct. 3. NC State earned its biggest win to date that night, defeating the Louisville Cardinals 2-1 off goals from Wannemuehler and junior forward Reed Norton.
The Pack will face a tough test scoring on the Orange, as Syracuse goalkeeper Alex Bono leads the ACC with 10 shutouts in the season. Additionally, Bono is ranked the No. 2 player in the country in Top Drawer Soccer’s midseason rankings.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m.
