The No. 25 NC State women’s soccer team played to a 0-0 tie against No. 3 Virginia at Dail Soccer Stadium Friday night.
The Wolfpack (6-1-1, 0-0-1 ACC) and the Cavaliers (5-2-1, 0-0-1 ACC) battled throughout the opening ACC matchup. Virginia outshot NC State 21-5; however, the Wolfpack showed strength in its defense as junior goalkeeper Sydney Wootten recorded six saves in the game.
“They’re a very good team,” head coach Tim Santoro said. “For us to keep them off the scoreboard shows what our defending is like.”
It was a rocky start for the Wolfpack as Virginia had four shots between the 10th and 14th minute. Wootten made an athletic save on a diving stop off a shot to the corner of the goal. The Cavalier shots kept coming in the first half, as the team got off 11 shots and three corner kicks compared to NC State’s two shots and two corners in the opening half.
With a majority of possession belonging to the Cavaliers in the first half, the Pack played consistent and aggressive defense, keeping Virginia off the scoreboard despite several excellent goal-scoring opportunities.
The Pack began the second half with more action on offense. In the 57th minute, junior defender Hannah Keogh attempted a free kick from just outside the box that was saved by Virginia goalie Laurel Ivory. A corner kick in the 74th minute by Keogh was also closely contested at the goal by the Cavaliers defense.
Virginia was in control again possession-wise for much of the second half, putting constant pressure on a Wolfpack defense that saw 21 shots and six corners on the night.
Wootten recorded two more saves in the second half and had a close call with a shot bouncing off the crossbar. Approaching the end of regulation, the Wolfpack played stout defense and forced overtime.
Overtime was tightly contested by both teams as the ball moved frequently from side to side. Sophomore midfielder Tziarra King had a shot go over the crossbar in the 103rd minute, and junior midfielder Taylor Porter had a header that was saved by Virginia towards the end of first overtime period.
Wootten started the second overtime with two more saves, to make it six on the night. The Pack exhibited the same lock-down defense as in the end of the second half, and held the game scoreless at the end of the second overtime period.
“I thought we matched up with UVA really well physically” Wootten said. “Honestly, I didn’t have to do much… the team defense all around was amazing.”
The Wolfpack will look to build on this game when it hosts Western Carolina on Sunday.
