Senior midfielder Annika Wohner knows plenty about scoring — she’s got four goals in her last two games for NC State women’s soccer. Wohner’s awe-inspiring spree has placed her firmly among the ACC’s premier scorers and has put the conference on notice.
Just five games into the season, Wohner has already matched her junior year goal output and surpassed her season point total. Her 36.4 shot percentage and 63.6 shot-on-goal percentage both mark a career-best pace. By all accounts, Wohner’s tremendous start sets the stage for a career year in her sendoff season.
“Scoring goals is the best part about soccer,” Wohner said. “It’s the best feeling, especially at home with the fans. Celebrating with them is great.”
The senior midfielder’s hot streak hasn’t just been empty calories either. The Wolfpack, led by Wohner’s offense, has won its last two games by a combined 8-1 score. NC State’s win streak has catapulted it into the Coaches Top 25 Poll, an impressive feat considering the team’s 0-2-1 start.
Regardless of her achievements early this fall, Wohner recognizes the team’s mission goes beyond any individual’s statistics.
“It really feels great, don’t get me wrong, but in the end, it doesn’t really matter who scores,” Wohner said. “I’m super happy to help and score the goals for me personally, but in the end as long as we win, I really don’t care who puts it in the net.”
Originally from Poing, Germany, Wohner joined NC State in the fall of 2021 following a handful of standout years at German Club Bayern Munich, where she scored nine goals. Wohner started all 20 matches in her freshman campaign and scored three game-winning goals, warranting a selection to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
Over the course of her time in Raleigh, Wohner has tallied 16 goals and seven assists for 39 points. Wohner has played 4,312 minutes and appeared in two NCAA Tournaments.
Under head coach Tim Santoro, the Wolfpack has had mixed results ranging from a 15-5-2 finish in 2017 and six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to a 3-9-6 decline last season. Last year’s group seemed to lack the offensive firepower to compete, being outshot 300-150 and outscored 33-16. It seems the 12th-year coach emphasized aggressive shot-taking over the offseason, a call that Wohner has answered with intensity.
“I mean the wins are so valuable right now, we need them, and it’s kind of giving us a little push for the next couple games,” Wohner said. “It’s only getting harder. We’re getting good opponents.”
Wohner and the Wolfpack will look to continue this impressive run on Sunday when they take on Rutgers at 1 p.m.
