Connected by about 1,200 miles of interstate, the two metropolises of Miami and New York City have around 13.6 million residents all together, accounting for approximately 4 percent of the nation’s total population.

Meanwhile, in Raleigh, a Miami-native and a New Yorker together account for half of the entire men’s soccer team goals this season.

The tandem of Alan Sanchez and Ronnie Bouemboue has carried the Wolfpack’s offense this season, scoring 13 of the team’s 26 goals.

“With the team setting everything up for us,” Sanchez said. “Ronnie and I just finish the play.”

The two have been finishing plays often for the Pack this season, as coach George Tarantini’s South American-style offense has the two finding the back of the net often.

“I like the ball to come to me, and I like to put it away quick,” Bouemboue said. “Quicker for me is better.”

But with the two growing up in the U.S., the Argentinian coach’s strategy was something neither was used to in high school.

“In Miami we broke down the opponent with touches,” Sanchez, a junior midfielder, said of his high-school playing days. “Then we slowly attacked.”

The importance of speed and agility in American soccer isn’t lost on Sanchez though, who said he realized from an early age that the style of play in the U.S. was not like what he was used to.

“Growing up as a Hispanic player, I quickly realized that American soccer is more direct,” he said. “Just [get] the ball and [find] the attack.”

Bouemboue, who played his prep career in Brooklyn, also played more conservative soccer before coming to State, as his teams focused on touches similar to the way teams play in Europe.

“It was a little different back in New York,” Bouemboue said. “But all [Tarantini] asks for is hard work and to give it your all.”

The redshirt junior leads the team with seven goals, but said his recent successes come as a result of the entire team finally finding its identity.

“We started out the season very slowly,” Bouemboue  said. “[We were] still trying to find our positions and our places, but as of lately everybody kind of settled down.”

While second on the team in scoring, Sanchez’s role on the team, according to Bouemboue, isn’t just as a goal-scorer.

“He’s one of the leaders on this team,” Bouemboue said. “A lot of the guys look up to him.”

Sanchez remains confident in his teammates despite not getting the amount of wins the team may have expected.

“I think we’re going to find a way to win,” Sanchez said. “We’re going to finish strong.”

Bouemboue echoed his teammate’s outlook.

“This is the ACC and this is soccer,” he said. “Anything is possible.””

But throughout the rest of the season, Bouemboue will be counting on what he does best and what he enjoys most: scoring.

“There’s no better feeling than putting the ball in the net,” he said.