After going winless in all seven games in the fall slate of the two-part 2020-21 NCAA men’s soccer season, the NC State men’s soccer team looked to turn things around in the spring, and although the squad was able to grab some solid victories, it was never able to truly find its footing.

The Wolfpack (3-8-4, 1-7-4 ACC) is likely to miss out on the NCAA Division I men’s soccer tournament, an event that will be held later this month just down the road at WakeMed soccer stadium and all across North Carolina. NC State will look back on its season and hope to capitalize on the defensive solidity that it displayed late this year while hoping to add new talent to complement its current members. 

The ACC was tougher than ever

Although the overall season did not have the desired outcome, the Wolfpack will especially look to the ACC record it put up this season as the catalyst for the majority of its issues and the largest disappointment of all. Success in the ACC is hard to come by, and while NC State has managed to put together strong records in the past, this year was not the same. 

After only winning one ACC game and losing nine straight in the conference, the Pack seemed to be a fish out of water in the conference that was dominating around the country. The ACC was especially difficult this season, and the national rankings of the teams are enough to tell the whole story. At one point in the fall session of the season, the Wolfpack faced three top-five teams in the country in a row, and in the spring, the squad had to face the No. 4 and No. 1 team in the nation in back-to-back matches. 

This extremely tough schedule was quite the setback for the Wolfpack, and out of all of those top five matches, the team tied two and lost the other three. Many of the ACC matches were within one-goal margins, and if one or two shots had gone a different way, the record may have looked very different.

Defensive and goalkeeping prowess 

One major takeaway from this season was the outstanding defense. Especially in the latter half of the season, the Wolfpack defense seemed second to none and only allowed five goals in its final eight games, including five shutouts.

Led by sophomore defender Pablo Pedregosa and junior defender Alex Bautista, who played 15 and 14 out of the 15 games, respectively, the defense held its own against some of the top-ranked offenses in the NCAA. It was clear to see the change in mentality at the back as the season progressed. In the side’s first matchup against Wake Forest, it gave up four goals, losing 4-1, but in its most recent matchup against the top squad, it managed a 0-0 tie and seemed much more prepared in the final third. 

Although the Pack was unable to snatch many victories, the outstanding defense combined with the incredible goalkeeping ability of redshirt junior Leon Krapf kept the side within striking distance in the majority of its games. Krapf should be especially credited for this season’s performance as he played every single minute of the entire season, managing 38 saves and just over a goal allowed per game.

Not allowing others to score, but not scoring itself

With the defense being as respectable as it was, the formula for victory was completely laid out for the Pack, but unfortunately, the side was unable to look dangerous in front of the goal. NC State managed to hold three out of its last five games to a 0-0 draw, a result that is seen as a defensive success, but one that isn’t the desired outcome. 

Statistically speaking, the Wolfpack looked dreadful compared to its opponents on the attacking half. In the 15 games played, the Wolfpack only managed 36 shots on goal, versus 56 by opponents. The Pack was also only able to score eight goals all season, averaging just about a half a goal per game, compared to its opponents 1.2 goals per game. Keeping opponents to only about a goal a game is spectacular, but not managing even one goal is a recipe for mediocracy. In fact, in its last six games, the Pack scored just two goals.

Standouts and studs

Along with the leadership and determination that Leon Krapf brought to the Wolfpack this season, two other players showed class on the field, and if everything goes according to plan, both will return for next season. 

The first standout this season was junior forward Ivy Brisma. The Philadelphia Union Academy member made his attacking presence known on the field this season and tallied two goals and one assist in his 14 games. Brisma only had three shots on goal all season but made all of them count. The speedy forward will be looking to complete a somewhat more normal senior season next year while being one of the main attackers in head coach George Kiefer’s 2022 plans.

The other standout was set-piece taker and freshman midfielder Tal Segev. Although his first year only recorded one goal, it was clear to see that the control he had over the midfielder was a priceless asset. His natural ability to take free kicks and corner kicks was an irreplaceable part of the squad. The F.C. Or-Yehuda product is only a freshman and will be looking to pick up where he left off this season and become an integral part of the heart of this team. 

What’s next?

Although this season did not go according to plan, the Wolfpack men’s soccer team had its bright spots and should be looking at just a few key areas to improve in the offseason. The ACC is difficult to come out on top in soccer, but it’s not impossible, and the Wolfpack has shown its resistance against top sides, especially in the back half of this season.