After N.C. State suffered a 5-0 debacle against North Carolina Friday, women’s soccer dropped its sixth straight game. The high hopes surrounding the team after its best start since 1991 have come crashing to the dirt. 

I guess the main reason for the excellent start is because the Wolfpack’s wins all came at home against lower level Division I opponents. Once the team got to tougher opponents, its record is 0-6 and has lost those six games by a total of 21-0. 

If this had been last season, I would be among the people calling for coach Laura Kerrigan’s head. But after watching State play extensively this season, I am not going to play a sour tune. I think the team has still improved dramatically from the team we saw a year ago.

Injuries have killed the team this season. The most notable injury was to sophomore forward and second-leading scorer Kara Baldy who missed eight games and will miss the rest of the year with a torn ACL. Ever since her injury the team has scored a whopping three goals in eight games. 

The dramatic drop in goals scored is because without the double threat of Baldy and senior midfielder Lindsay Vera, opposing players can focus all of their efforts on taking Vera’s opportunities away. The other forwards are doing a good job of trying to take the pressure off of Vera, but there is so much youth on the team that many freshman mistakes are still made. 

Nineteen out of 28 of the Pack’s players are underclassmen. That is 70.8 percent, a very high number for any team. And 13 of those players have had significant action in several games, even starting at one time or another.

The reason for the youth is the high turnover State has had in the last few seasons. After last season alone, the Pack lost nine players to either burnout or transfer. I have asked several players about the situation, and they have all said the youth of the squad has helped the team come together.

The whole team has worked much harder and has been more dedicated to the game of soccer since last year. The evidence began to show in the spring games and has continued to progress throughout this year. I am also impressed by the awareness of coach Kerrigan and her staff to change formations based on which players were healthy and ready to play.

I expect the Pack to continue to progress and move forward. And with such a young team, players will be able to make an impact for years to come. Only two players are graduating this year, and though Vera and senior defender Tami Krzeszewski will not be easy to replace, there are many players ready and able to fill their roles. 

While this might not be the Pack’s year, that year is definitely coming.