NC State women’s soccer embarked on a two-game road trip as it forged through the heart of its 2024 ACC schedule. The Wolfpack took on Notre Dame and Louisville, recording a 1-1 draw against the No. 13 Fighting Irish on Thursday and a 1-0 loss on Sunday against the Cardinals.

A headed goal from junior defender Taylor Chism earned NC State a draw in Indiana while the Wolfpack’s offensive struggles continued in its scoreless showing in Kentucky. With the draw and loss, the red-and-white fell to a 3-7-2 overall record and a 0-3-1 conference record.

1-1 draw at Notre Dame

Coming off a two-game losing streak to start conference play, the Pack traveled to South Bend, Indiana to take on No. 13 Notre Dame. The formidable Fighting Irish posed a serious threat to an NC State team that lost its last two games by a combined score of 5-1.

However, the Wolfpack battled in South Bend, taking a 1-0 lead into the halftime break after playing complimentary soccer. Defensively, junior goalkeeper Olivia Pratapas made three crucial saves amidst a relentless Irish attack. Notre Dame sent 11 shots to the Wolfpack’s two in the half that made Pratapas and her defense work hard.

Despite Notre Dame’s heavy offensive pressure, it was NC State who drew first blood via Chism’s first-class header off a corner kick from freshman midfielder Mana Nakata. Notre Dame goalkeeper Altee Olofson had not allowed a goal so far all season for the Irish until Chism’s score.

With eyes on an upset, NC State held strong for a majority of the second half in South Bend. However, Notre Dame tied the game with a goal in the 72nd minute with a header of its own to draw level at 1-1, a result that held until the final whistle.

1-0 loss at Louisville

NC State’s conference woes continued in Louisville, Kentucky against the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. After falling to California 3-1 and to No. 1 Stanford in a 2-0 result, the Pack struggled to muster any firepower in its 1-0 loss at Louisville.

While NC State had a tough time on offense, it did hold the Cardinals to just two shots in a scoreless first half, marking the sixth consecutive game in which NC State has held its opponents scoreless in the first 45 minutes.

However, the Wolfpack gave up yet another second-half goal. Early into the period, the Cardinals struck on a corner kick goal that put the home team at a 1-0 advantage.

From there, NC State did its best to even the score. By the end of the match, it had five shots to Louisville’s five, two of which were on target. Still, the Wolfpack found no luck, ultimately falling 1-0 to the Cardinals.

NC State is set to continue its ACC campaign in a match against Boston College on Thursday at 7 p.m.