Now ranked 18th nationally in RPI, the NC State men’s soccer team travels to Durham tonight to take on the Duke Blue Devils in Koskinen Stadium.
The Wolfpack (7-2-3, 1-1-3 ACC) won its first game since a string of ties against ranked opponents Tuesday night at Dail Soccer Stadium, downing No. 13 South Carolina 2-1. The Blue Devils (5-6-2, 0-4-1 ACC) will enter Friday night’s match-up off two straight losses, a streak the Pack hopes to keep alive.
The last time these two teams faced off was in first round of the ACC Tournament last season, with the Pack losing 3-2 in a grueling double-overtime contest. A lot has changed since the end of last season, however, including the rosters of both teams.
Former Duke midfielder Sean Davis, the ACC midfielder of the year in 2014, ended his time in Durham to play for the New York Red Bulls. Davis was the team’s captain and the core of the Blue Devil midfield.
The NC State defense of senior Reed Norton, sophomore Caleb Duvernay, freshman Simon Blotko, and senior captain Holden Fender has been immense all season. When starting together, that back four has conceded more than one goal just once this season, way back on Sept. 7, away at Davidson.
But the team has looked vulnerable on set pieces, and in six conference games this season the Pack has not scored the opening goal. NC State’s defense must stay vigilant to keep Duke’s leading goal scorer, sophomore forward Jeremy Ebobisse, from capitalizing on his opportunities.
Ebobisse has recorded 37 shots on goal this season but has only placed five of those in the back of the net. Freshman midfielder Ciaran McKenna and senior midfielder Zach Mathers have stepped up this season to fill the shoes of Davis, recording a total of four assists and five goals combined.
The defensive efforts from the Wolfpack will be crucial for senior goalkeeper Alex McCauley, who recorded his ninth career shutout against Wake Forest a week ago, splitting the ACC Defensive player of the week award with the Deacons keeper. McCauley has faced 102 shots so far this season, only allowing 12 into the goal.
Offensively, NC State will once again rely on the capabilities of uber-talented sophomore midfielder Zach Knudson, who can’t seem to stop scoring stunning goals. He scored his fifth of the season, a weaving solo dribble past four Gamecocks in the 2-1 win against South Carolina Tuesday.
More importantly, Knudson notched an assist on a goal from sophomore forward Ryan Peterson. Peterson’s second goal of the year was a crucial one for him. None of the Pack’s forwards have tallied more than two goals so far, but if one of them can get on a hot streak, a defensively solid team will gain a new set of teeth in attack.
With the power of sophomore Ade Taiwo, who leads the team in shots with 30, and the speed of Peterson in front of Knudson, the Pack has the players to give the Blue Devils’ defense fits all night, but the group must finish opportunities when they come.
With four games remaining in the regular season, the Wolfpack sits in a prime location to finally land a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but boosting its ACC resume is crucial, as the team has just one win within conference play. Duke’s form is slumping, but they are always dangerous, especially at home, while the Pack’s only two losses have come away from Dail.
NC State will look to take advantage of the hole left in Duke’s midfield by Davis last season and leave Durham with another win in the books, while Duke searches for its first ACC win of the season.
