NC State Athletics battled hard across the board this week, emerging with mixed results. The football, volleyball and cross country squads dominated this week’s opponents, but both soccer teams recorded a loss.
Women’s soccer continues winless streak
NC State women’s soccer took on two tough opponents this week — the High Point Panthers and the Pittsburgh Panthers. The Wolfpack tied 2-2 with High Point before falling 2-0 to Pittsburgh at home. Although the tie snapped a four-game losing streak for the Pack, it still hasn’t won a game since it defeated UNC-Charlotte on Aug. 20.
The red-and-white got off on the right foot against High Point, with junior midfielder Annika Wohner landing the first punch just seven minutes into the game. However, the Pack allowed two back-to-back goals from the Panthers in the second half that put the win just out of reach for NC State.
In its ACC opener against Pitt, the Wolfpack failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities on multiple occasions. The Pack was outshot 23-7, unable to match the pressure the Panthers kept up for the duration of the match.
Read more about the red-and-white’s senior night match-up against High Point. Read more about the Pack’s loss to Pittsburgh.
Cross country takes care of business at Adidas XC Challenge
To no one’s surprise, NC State’s historically powerful cross country teams swept the podium in the Adidas XC Challenge in Cary, North Carolina. The men’s team won the race with a total score of 15 points — 65 points ahead of the second-place team. The women’s team did not place because three of the Pack’s five women that raced ran unattached, but all of them recorded respectable finishes.
On the men’s side, senior JJ Malach took first place with a time of 17:50.9 in the men’s 6000m. Graduate student Toby Gualter followed close behind, clocking in at 17:53.2. For the women’s team, freshman Leah Stephens crossed the finish line first and was the only runner to finish the women’s 5000m in under 17 minutes.
Read more about the Pack’s impressive showing at the Adidas XC Challenge.
Men’s soccer wins one, drops one
NC State men’s soccer defeated the Howard Bison 3-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 12 before traveling to Virginia and receiving a bitter taste of its own medicine in a 3-1 loss to the Cavaliers.
The Pack had no problem taking care of business against the Bison at home, but it struggled while playing the Cavaliers in Charlottesville, Virginia. All three of the red-and-white’s losses this season have come in away matches — the Pack has yet to win a game on the road. To have a successful season, NC State will need to figure out how to rectify this issue.
Read more about the Pack’s win over Howard.
Read more about the red-and-white’s road match against Virginia.
Volleyball continues to roll opponents
NC State volleyball has been in a groove lately and this week was no exception. The Pack swept the Charlotte 49ers 3-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 12 and defeated the George Washington Colonials 3-0 the next day.
With its win over the Colonials, the Wolfpack extended its win streak to nine, its longest in eight years, and put its record at 10-1 — the best starting record the red-and-white has had in head coach Luka Slabe’s three years of coaching at NC State.
In addition to this impressive feat, two more significant achievements were had that night: Slabe notched his 50th win with the Pack and junior opposite hitter Amanda Rice tallied her 500th kill in 182 sets.
Read more about the Pack’s sweep of the 49ers.
Read more about the red-and-white’s historic win over the Colonials.
Football crushes VMI
NC State football rebounded from a rough outing against Notre Dame last week with an impressive 45-7 victory over VMI. The Pack was firing on all cylinders against the Keydets, and came out strong with three touchdowns in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the tough Wolfpack defense held the visiting Keydets scoreless throughout the first half.
NC State fans breathed a collective sigh of relief as graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong finally started to show signs of life just in time to silence his doubters. The Virginia transfer put up some impressive numbers with 264 yards through the air on 27-32 passing, a touchdown and 39 yards rushing, albeit against a lesser opponent.
