Freshman forward Maxine Blackwood scored the first goal of her NC State career and added an assist, and the Wolfpack women’s soccer team edged East Tennessee State 2-0 on the road Sunday.
Redshirt sophomore midfielder Jackie Stengel notched her second tally of the year 31 minutes into the match to give NC State (2-2-0) a 1-0 lead, and Blackwood added another less than a minute after the second half began to keep the Buccaneers (3-1-0) at bay. Freshman goalkeeper Sydney Wootten played 90 shutout minutes to give the Pack its second win in as many games.
A week ago, the Wolfpack was 0-2 on the season after two tough losses in San Diego, but the Pack has responded with a pair of 2-0 non-conference victories to get back to .500.
Against ETSU, head coach Tim Santoro once again showcased the depth at his disposal, experimenting with various combinations and getting minutes for 19 players.
Once again, the freshmen group played a huge part in the win. The aforementioned Wootten got the start in goal, while midfielder Crystal Cordova made her first start of the season, most likely in response to her energetic display against Elon on Thursday.
Freshman Hannah Keogh continued to cement her place in the team at left back and put on another solid performance, while freshman Taylor Porter looks a mainstay at defensive midfield just four games into the season
The standout, however, was Blackwood. The Somerville, New Jersey, native had a strong match against the Phoenix but failed to get on the scoresheet. Against the Bucs, she was even better, showcasing her excellent holdup play and quickness into the channels.
This time, though, she made her mark statistically, playing a good ball behind the defense for Stengel to run onto and score, before putting the game to bed with a powerful, low shot into the corner 32 seconds after the whistle blew to open the second period of play.
Blackwood capitalized on a mistake by the ETSU defense for her goal, showing alertness and smarts to attack a bad pass and finish quickly.
Another bright spot was Stengel, who once again showed her importance to the side. The Wolfpack captain’s leadership and composure were vital in the middle of the field, where she contested defensively and looked to combine with teammates.
Despite missing all of last season, Stengel hasn’t looked the least bit rusty, and with two goals already and a blossoming partnership with Blackwood, the Pack’s attack is in a much better place than a year ago.
While the Wolfpack came out ahead on the scoresheet, the game was more evenly contested than the 2-0 difference implies.
The Buccaneers were unbeaten coming into the game and were playing at home. They generally possessed the ball well and created good chances on the NC State goal.
But Wootten was equal to the task, making five saves on the day, and the Pack was the more clinical side, despite having a hectic schedule and long days of travel in the past week.
It’s clear the Pack is still trying to find its best lineup, and Santoro will likely continue experimenting with different formations, lineups and players during the 2015 NC State Tournament, which begins Friday.
The Wolfpack takes on Oregon at 8 p.m. and will look to continue winning ways and continue improving with ACC play on the horizon.
