NC State soccer traveled to Harrisonburg, Virginia for its first road match of the season against James Madison, coming away with a 2-2 draw at Sentara Park.
The Wolfpack (2-0-1) scored the first two goals of the game to take a 2-0 lead but the Dukes (0-0-3) rallied in the second half with two goals to salvage a draw on their home field.
Not only was the Pack looking for its first road win of the season but it was trying to claim its first victory away from home since 2021.
NC State took an early lead off a rocket from sophomore forward Hakim Karamoko in the 18th minute. Karamoko dribbled the ball from the sideline to midfield before sniping a shot into the right corner of the net. He was set up by a couple of great passes including the assist from senior forward Will Buete.
Head coach Mark Hubbard’s aggressive offensive style and suffocating defense allowed the Wolfpack to go into the break with a 1-0 lead.
To start the second half, NC State aggressively attacked James Madison and it paid off with an early goal from junior forward Taig Healy in the 46th minute. It was Healy’s second goal of the season and put the Pack firmly in the driver’s seat.
With the Wolfpack knocking on the door of its first road win in three years, the Dukes turned up the heat. Ratcheting up the offensive intensity, the Dukes scored a pair of goals in the second half to tie the game.
James Madison recorded eight corner kicks, with five of them coming in the second half. NC State had beaten both of its previous matchups in the corner game and might credit the blown lead to the lack of corners. Furthermore, the Dukes outshot the Wolfpack 14-8.
The offensive blitz from James Madison in the second half gave it the momentum to knot up the game. The Dukes fired nine shots, converting two of them, but couldn’t find the energy to strike a third. The NC State defense did just enough to slow down the Duke’s momentum, not allowing a shot after the goal scored in the 77th minute by defenseman Jordan McMillen.
The red-and-white are still undefeated on the season, a positive sign with ACC play starting next week with a matchup against California.
NC State will be back home against the Golden Bears on Friday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m.
