N.C. State ended its frustrating ACC campaign with a 2-0 loss to Maryland at College Park on Sunday. The loss was a culmination of a conference season in which State failed to win a game and tied only one, compared with nine losses. The Wolfpack finished the season 6-10-3 overall.
Maryland’s goals, both of which came in the first half in the 25th and 43rd minute, proved to be too large a deficit for State to overcome, as the Terrapins held the Pack to only two shots on goal in the second half.
The game, according to coach Laura Kerrigan, was representative of a season in which the Pack suffered critical injuries to key players throughout. Freshmen forward Kara Baldy, after getting to play after sitting out with another injury, suffered a fracture in her arm in the first half.
“The whole season it has just been tough without forwards,” Kerrigan said. “We have been plagued with injuries all season. Everyone had to play through pain and we lost a lot of players for games at a time. When we finally get Kara back today, she breaks her arm in the first half.”
Kerrigan also said the game, being that it was the last of the season for both teams, was very physical and competitive.
“It was a physical match in terms of the play. We had a lot of lingering injuries, a lot of bumps and bruises, so it was really a rough game for some of the players,” Kerrigan said.
Although these injuries did hinder the Pack’s ability to compete, Kerrigan said she admires her players for not giving up and pushing through the pain.
“Jessica O’Rourke played really well for us today. She is playing on a hurt ankle but she is a warrior and played through the pain. Lindsay Vera did the same thing for us today up top,” Kerrigan said.
“It says a lot when these girls on this team will play through pain just to be out there and try to win.”
Junior forward Lindsay Vera admitted that lingering injuries took their toll on the team and added to the mounting frustration with every loss.
“I was upset after the game. Losing to end the season is awful, I am kind of glad it is over because it allows us a mental break. It has been hard for everyone, including our coaches,” Vera said.
Vera added that the constant rotation and combination of players due to injuries did complicate State’s attempts to find and maintain flow during the game.
“We had a few good shots, but we tried to switch around forwards a lot, and it was hard to adjust to a different person you are playing with every time,” Vera said.
“We gave them two pretty easy goals. We were playing panicked in the first half, but in the second half we picked it up and we shut them down. We just couldn’t put some goals away.”
Vera believes the off season will provide State with a valuable opportunity to rest and develop a new outlook for next season.
“I feel like we all just need to take a break from each other, relax and be ready to pull together in the spring and come back ready to play next season,” Vera said.
“I am looking forward to a clean slate. There is nothing else I really care about right now. I am just drained from losing, and I think we just need a new season and a new start.”