The NC State women’s soccer team defeated Clemson 1-0 at Dail Soccer Stadium on the back of junior goalkeeper Sydney Wootten’s five-save shutout, the Wolfpack’s ninth of the season.
The Pack (11-4-1, 4-3-1 ACC) offense started off hot against the Tigers (8-5-2, 2-4-2 ACC), as sophomores Ricci Walkling and Tziarra King both had early opportunities to score but missed high.
Wootten kept Clemson off the board in the 15th minute with an amazing diving save off a header from Sam Staab.NC State’s offense continued to pressure Clemson’s defense for much of the first half. In the 30th minute, sophomore Kia Rankin got a shot on goal that was forced out of bounds by Tiger goalkeeper Sandy MacIver.
Rankin scored from inside the six-yard box off a rebound from the corner that she created to put NC State up 1-0. Junior Hannah Keogh delivered the corner, and senior Cailyn Boch was credited with an assist after getting the initial shot off.
“We had a nice buildup, we were lucky to get a corner out of it,” Rankin said. “ A nice ball from Hannah and our willingness to just get the ball into the back of the net was there, we all were just fighting for it. Cailyn had great determination to keep it and get it in front of the goal and luckily I was there and just put it in. It was a great team effort.”
NC State continued to create pressure in the ensuing minutes after the goal with a corner and two shots on goal from Rankin and sophomore Paige Griffiths. Both shots were stopped by MacIver and another shot that was blocked before it reached the keeper.
After one half of soccer, NC State was ahead 1-0 but was tied with the Tigers in shots on goal at four a piece. The Wolfpack, however, had eight total shots. Wootten had a great first half in limited action, making four saves keeping Clemson goalless.
The second half was more defensive, as NC State played back more defending against a prolific Clemson attack.
“We liked the tempo of the game,” head coach Tim Santoro said. “They play a very long direct game, that’s not the easiest to play against. We play the exact opposite. We had control of the game at times and they started playing their style. You naturally fall into a defensive shell when you have a lead like that and you add in their style of play.”
Wootten came up big again in the 66th minute with a save on a header taken by Clemson’s Miranda Weslake, hitting it out of harm’s way and preserving the Wolfpack’s lead.
Rankin was taken down just outside the box in the 68th minute by Mackenzie Smith giving the Wolfpack a free kick. Freshman Lulu Guttenberger, on State’s first real offensive opportunity of the second half, had her shot blocked by the wall of Clemson players.
NC State would finish off the game playing solid defensively keeping Clemson from having any great scoring chances.
At the end of the game NC State and Clemson both had five shots on goal. Rankin had four shots of NC State’s 12 total and was a big part of the offense the team generated.
NC State, who was in a three-way tie for sixth place in the ACC going into the game tonight, earned itself a huge three points that for now separates it from Notre Dame and Boston College, giving it a better chance to make the eight-team ACC Tournament.
“[A win] helped a lot,” Santoro said. “There’s still so many teams jumbled together. It depends on other results, but winning tonight does give us some separation from Clemson and a few other teams. Someone has to drop points in other games tonight so it was important, but this late in the season every game has importance in someway for ACC and NCAA Tournament. It was definitely a good win”
The Wolfpack is back in action this Sunday against Virginia Tech on the road, before it heads back to Dail Soccer Stadium to face Louisville in the final regular season game.
