Before NC State women’s soccer’s game at VCU, the Wolfpack had been outscored 9-1 over its last five games, three of which were included in its bleak, winless start to the 2024 season.
But in its fourth match of the season, desperately needing a victory on the road, NC State women’s soccer got so much more.
The Wolfpack put its scoring troubles in the rear view mirror, exploding for a dominant 5-0 win at VCU to secure its first victory of the season in Richmond, Virginia on Sunday.
The Pack’s rout in Richmond came after a tumultuous 2-1 loss at Campbell on Thursday. After shortcomings both attacking and defending the goal, NC State (1-2-1) righted the ship against the Rams (0-3-0), pouring on five goals while shutting out its opponent..
Determined to prove itself, the Wolfpack came out firing, netting the opener in just the fourth minute thanks to a highlight reel-worthy shot from freshman midfielder Mana Nakata. After receiving the ball well outside VCU’s box, Nakata had no second thoughts about kickstarting the Wolfpack’s offensive onslaught.
The freshman took aim and launched an unexpected, perfectly placed strike at the goal. Nakata lofted her shot over the Rams’ keeper and it neatly ducked under the crossbar into the back of the net. Nakata’s first collegiate goal marked lift-off for the Wolfpack, and it didn’t come back down to earth after that.
NC State’s only goal of the season prior to its five against VCU came off a set piece against Campbell, and the Pack scored a corner kick goal for the second consecutive game.
Graduate midfielder Abi Hugh doubled the Pack’s pleasure when she bagged her team’s second goal in the 28th minute. After a corner kick and ensuing shot from junior defender Taylor Chism, Hugh capitalized off a ricochet in the box and smashed in her first goal in the red and white.
NC State poured it on once more in the first half, netting yet another goal right before the halftime whistle. In the 44th minute with just seconds until period-end, sophomore forward Jade Bordeleau intercepted the ball in Ram territory and attacked. The Pack’s counter worked to perfection as Bordeleau found her veteran teammate, senior midfielder Annika Wohner, through on goal.
From there, Wohner didn’t hesitate. The senior struck for her first goal of the season, slotting the ball into the bottom right corner. By halftime NC State had turned around its rocky start to the year.
Eager to keep the fun going, the Pack tacked on two more scores by the final whistle.
Just four minutes into the second half, sophomore forward Hannah Jibril hit paydirt as she found her first goal of the season. Jibril, one of NC State’s most promising young attackers from the 2023 season, used a through ball from graduate defender Paige Tolentino to threaten the VCU goal. Like Wohner, Jibril had no mercy, sliding a low shot past the Ram keeper to make it 4-0.
Minutes later, Wohner scored her second goal of the day as the Pack continued to pour it on in Richmond. After a deep shot from Hugh rebounded off the opposing keeper, Wohner was in the right place at the right time as she netted her team’s fifth goal and a brace.
While the Wolfpack’s offensive onslaught was keeping VCU busy, junior goalkeeper Olivia Pratapas and her defense still had to contend with their fair share of Rams attackers. However, Pratapas pitched her second shutout of the season, making nine saves by the end of the Pack’s first win of the year.
Riding high off the five-goal rout, NC State will return to Raleigh for a showdown with Charlotte on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.
