The NC State women’s soccer team continued its season-opening road swing on Sunday, Aug. 22, taking down Old Dominion 2-1 in Norfolk, Virginia.

For the second time this season, the Wolfpack’s (1-0-1) center back duo linked up for an important second-half goal. The Monarchs (1-1-0) nearly equalized quickly after the Pack’s go-ahead goal, but the hosts were denied by the post.

With just four minutes left to play, redshirt junior defender Lulu Guttenberger swung a corner kick into the box and junior defender Jenna Butler headed the ball home for her second goal of the season.

Joining Butler in scoring her second goal of the season was sophomore forward Jameese Joseph. In the ninth minute, Joseph got on the end of a pass from senior forward Denae Antoine inside the box and tossed her defender aside before blasting the ball into the top corner.

While Joseph is listed as just a sophomore, she is one of the most experienced players in the Wolfpack’s starting lineup with just three upperclassmen starting against Old Dominion. During her freshman season (2019), Joseph started all 23 of the Pack’s games and played seven more this past spring. 

The Wolfpack continued to control most of the first half, but the Monarchs started to get more into the game late in the half, a trend that continued into the second half.

Old Dominion eventually equalized in the 61st minute with a scrappy goal following a corner kick. The initial header got deflected up off the bar, but a Monarch was the first to get to the ball and headed home from close range.

After their goal, the Monarchs pushed for a go-ahead goal and for a bit, it looked like they might get it. Facing a barrage of shots from Old Dominion, freshman goalkeeper Maria Echezzareta stood tall, making some very nice saves.

The Wolfpack will finish up its three-game road swing on Thursday, Aug. 26 with a trip to Campbell, before returning home for the Pack’s first regular season home game on Sunday, Aug. 29.