The NC State women’s soccer team kicks off its season this Friday with its home opener against UNC-Wilmington at the Dail Soccer Stadium.
Following a season that had a less than satisfactory ending, head coach Tim Santoro’s Wolfpack will look to come out strong against the Seahawks.
After a promising 4-0 start to its 2013 campaign, the Pack struggled to find its footing once conference play started up. As a young team in one of the premiere women’s soccer conferences in the nation, State dropped 12 of its next 14 games, which included a 10-game skid.
Although the team’s 2013 record (7-12-0 overall, 2-11-0 ACC) may not reflect it, the Pack showed promise in its first season under Santoro.
The young State team played some of the nation’s top competition in close fashion, falling to No. 3 Florida State by a single point. The team showed true resolve in its final game of the season, upsetting No. 23 Wake Forest on Senior Night by a score of 2-1.
Now, the Pack looks to a new season with sophomore forward Jackie Stengel at the helm. Last season, Stengel led the team in scoring (nine), points (19) and had a team high two game-winning goals.
Stengel, along with her strong sophomore class and experienced upperclassmen, will now be aided by a top-20 freshman draft class. The class of seven freshman — two midfielders, one forward and four defenders — were ranked as the No. 13 and No. 19 draft classes of 2014 by BigSoccer and All White Kit’s, respectively.
Friday night, Santoro’s Pack will look to take its season opener for the second straight season, as well as secure the programs 320th win and fifth with over the Seahawks.
With UNC-W coming off of a 9-10-0 campaign in 2013, the Pack’s season opener will be no walk in the park.
With the Pack holding a 4-0 edge in the series, the ‘Hawks will have something to prove and the ability to prove it. The team lost two hard-fought battles to UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke, 1-0 apiece, and should prove to be a good first test for State.
Two days after the team’s showdown with UNC-W, the Pack will face its first nationally ranked program when No. 11 Portland comes to town. The Pilots finished its 2013 campaign with a 17-2-1 record and advance to the second round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship.
However, Portland will be flying straight from a matchup with No. 2 Florida State in Tallahassee. Fatigue may be a factor in the game, and the upstart Wolfpack could look for a statement upset in only its second game of the season.
