Logan LaBo
NC State Men's soccer red shirt senior midfielder Philip Carmon shields the ball and looks for a pass. NC State won against The College of Charleston with a final score of 2-0. The game took place on Monday, August 31st at Dail soccer stadium.
The NC State men’s soccer team managed a 1-1 draw on the road against Louisville Friday night after playing out a scoreless double overtime period.
The No. 22 ranked Wolfpack (6-2-1, 1-1-1 ACC) squeaked by Gardner Webb last Tuesday and were looking for another win against the No. 24 Cardinals (4-2-3, 0-0-3 ACC). The Pack would go behind late in the first half but graduate student athlete Philip Carmon would notch his first goal of the season and equalize just before halftime on a rainy night in Louisville, Kentucky.
The gloomy atmosphere set the tone for the first 35 minutes of the match after neither team was able to create a half-decent chance. Both defenses looked solid, with the Pack’s senior duo of Reed Norton and Holden Fender comfortable dealing with the Cardinals’ offense.
The pace of play would change in the 35th minute when Carmon latched onto a ball headed down perfectly into his path by sophomore midfielder Zach Knudson, but he sent the ball sailing into the stands.
Knudson became the creator once more just two minutes later when his precise cross found Carmon wide open in the middle, but the redshirt senior was once again unable to provide the lethal final touch after junior goalkeeper Theo Jamilloux came up with a wonderful save.
Despite the Pack knocking on the door, it was Louisville that broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute when freshman Tate Schmitt scored his sixth goal of the season, heading in sophomore Tim Kubel’s corner kick to the far post.
Schmitt’s goal meant that the Wolfpack were yet to find the net first in ACC play and were facing a second road loss in a row.
The Pack had other ideas, however, and the Cardinals’ lead would only last 74 seconds.
In the 44th minute, Carmen was once again involved and latched onto freshman Simon Blotko’s cross from the right, heading into the corner of the Louisville net.
Carmon broke his goal drought with the fantastic header, just his fourth goal ever for the Wolfpack. With the cross, Blotko has now reached three assists on the season, leading in this category for NC State.
Louisville returned from the break looking the better of the two sides and forced senior goalkeeper Alex McCauley into making some spectacular saves.
After letting in three goals in the Pack’s last game against Gardner Webb, the senior looked much better tonight and alongside Norton was the best player on the pitch for NC State in the second half.
The match was destined for overtime after neither team could gain an advantage in 90 minutes of play.
The first overtime held signs of the bleak start by both teams, with the fatigue starting to set in and the rain being a definite factor.
Schmitt had already scored once tonight and threatened early on the second period of overtime, forcing McCauley into another magnificent save.
This was to be the final chance of the match, both teams deserving of the 1-1 draw after a very even contest.
The Cardinals took nine shots on goal to the Pack’s eight and also led the shots on goal category four to three.
The Wolfpack looked very solid at the back coming off a questionable defensive performance Tuesday night but allowed eight corners, conceding on one of them.
“We’re only as good as our next game,” said NC State head coach Kelly Findley. “Our players will be ready, our staff will be ready, and we look forward to facing a strong Coastal Carolina team on Wednesday.”
The Wolfpack takes on No. 7 Coastal Carolina Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Myrtle Beach, a second game in a four-game stretch facing ranked opponents.