CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a long summer without any action, updates or news, NC State women’s soccer has it officially confirmed — the Comeback Pack is alive and well. 

Thanks to some guts, perseverance and just a little bit of mayhem, the Wolfpack (1-0-1) scored twice in the final 15 minutes of its match against UNC-Charlotte (0-2) to earn its first win of the season.

The 2-1 victory didn’t come without turbulence — especially after the 49ers took a lead to end the first half. However, as the floodlights poured on late in the game in Charlotte, the red-and-white came alive.

“I mean, that couldn’t have been a worse first half,” said head coach Tim Santoro. “But I thought in the second half, we made some adjustments. Quality wasn’t the best still, but they just played hard, a lot of guts. They worked hard, manufactured some chances and found a way to get two goals.”

After finding themselves down 1-0 to start the second, NC State still had to work out a few kinks before hitting paydirt. Eventually, though, the Wolfpack’s pressure generated by its trio of senior forwards — Jameese Joseph, Leyah-Hall Robinson and Alexis Strickland — broke through the 49er defense. 

The Wolfpack kept its focus, and a quick and connected series of passes from Hall-Robinson to Joseph to Strickland — who fired in her first goal of the season — earned NC State the equalizer in the 77th minute.

“I think in the second half we just kind of came together and we just played our game,” Strickland said. “We’re a very good passing team, and we can really break teams down once we pass and just connect and play our game, so that’s what we did. And then in the final third, Jameese just set me up perfectly and I had space, so I just took the shot and tied it up.” 

But once level, NC State didn’t relent. And as the clock ticked down under seven minutes, madness ensued. 

It was a seemingly harmless free kick from the midfield by junior defender Brianna Weber that got the Pack its lead. Instead of sending a cross into the box, Weber almost sent it in herself, forcing Charlotte’s keeper to make a first-class save. However, Hall-Robinson was in the right place at the right time, heading the deflection back towards the goal, and barely across the line. 

While the swarm of white and green shirts at the goal sent everyone in attendance into shock, Hall-Robinson’s retelling of the Wolfpack’s go-ahead goal was simple. 

“[Brianna] hit that long ball, and I backed off,” Hall-Robinson said. “I saw it coming, and the goalie hit it up in the air, and I just headed it into the goal.”

After the dust settled, and questions were answered via review, NC State had achieved its halftime goals and more, ultimately holding on for the last few minutes to ride back to Raleigh with a win.

“The halftime message was to find a way to tie the game, and then we’ll worry about the second one,” Santoro said. “And I think once that first one went in, they could kind of sense one team is going to win, and it’s probably going to be us. And that’s credit to them for keeping that intensity and going to try to win it and not just settling for the tie after taking so long to come back.”

Overcoming that early deficit and sluggish first half was crucial in the victory. The 49ers made sure to put the pressure on early, forcing senior goalkeeper Maria Echezarreta to make some show-stopping saves to keep it level. 

But Charlotte had even more chances in the first period and made the most of NC State’s errors to take a 1-0 lead right before halftime. After a turnover deep into Wolfpack territory, the 49ers had yet another quality chance on goal. And even though sophomore defender Alex Mohr threw her leg in front of the shot, the ball deflected off the Wolfpack defender, rainbowing over the head of Echezarreta and into the net.

But even though it’s a 90 minute game, the Pack only needed the final 15 to win it and ultimately head back home with three points after its comeback win in the Queen City. 

After dealing with a multitude of injuries, drawing with Utah and taking down the 49ers, Santoro was left impressed, even if there’s more to be found in the Wolfpack’s play.

“I think that a lot of coaches want these kinds of wins,” Santoro said. “And to get one in the second game, coming out of this opening weekend with what we’re going through with a win and a tie, I’m impressed. I’m impressed by these girls, again the quality is not the best, but I’m impressed with just the resolve of the two games.”

Next up, NC State is staying in Raleigh for a date with Rutgers on Thursday, Aug. 24. Kickoff against the Scarlet Knights is set for 7 p.m. at Dail Soccer Stadium.