Junior midfielder Taig Healy kicks the ball out of play during the men’s soccer match against Hofstra at Dail Soccer Field on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. Healy made one attempt on the goal. NC State tied with Hofstra 1-1.
Junior midfielder Taig Healy kicks the ball out of play during the men’s soccer match against Hofstra at Dail Soccer Field on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. Healy made one attempt on the goal. NC State tied with Hofstra 1-1.
For the third-straight game, No. 23 NC State men’s soccer had the chance to earn its first win over a ranked opponent since 2019, but just like its previous two matches, NC State settled for a tie, this time a 1-1 draw against No. 21 Hofstra (9-3-2) on Tuesday night at Dail Soccer Stadium.
Unlike its last two games, where it tied against then-No. 2 Stanford and then-No. 24 Virginia Tech, the Wolfpack managed to find the back of the net, but couldn’t find a way to get a second goal.
“Today, for the first time in a good couple weeks, we were on top of them in their attacking end and moving the ball really well,” said head coach Marc Hubbard. “We weren’t in a lot of those similar situations the last couple weeks, and we created enough situations and opportunities to win the game. So, disappointing that we weren’t able to finish one of them. So you walk up the field feeling like, again, another missed opportunity.”
While the Wolfpack (5-2-5) has struggled to score recently, it has played shutdown defense. In its last three games, including its match against the Pride, the Pack has held its opponent under its shots and shot on goal average.
That’s an improvement from last season, when NC State allowed the third most goals in the ACC and gave up the second most goals per game.
So, what makes the difference?
“Commitment,” Hubbard said. “Collective defending from forward all the way to the back, good goaltending. Definitely proud of how we defended, obviously, in these top games.”
After ending scoreless in its last two games, NC State came out aggressive in an attempt to net its first goal in five halves. In just under a two minute span early in the first half, the Wolfpack fired three shots to no avail.
Then, in the 23rd minute, sophomore forward Hakim Karamoko put together a phenomenal individual effort to give NC State a 1-0 lead. With the ball inside the keeper box, Karamoko dribbled out of the box, drifting towards the top of it and firing a shot past two Hofstra defenders and the Pride’s goalkeeper.
“[Hakim] just draws a lot of attention,” Hubbard said. “He gets on the ball, creates space and lanes for other guys. I think he’s obviously a marksman. It was nice to see him get a start, take advantage of that with the goal.”
Although after NC State took the lead, the Pride pushed back in an attempt to net the equalizer and, in the 39th minute, did just that. Hofstra midfielder Sean O’Donnell put a shot on net that was saved by junior goalkeeper Logan Erb, going out of bounds and setting up a corner kick.
Pride forward Teddy Baker then precisely kicked the corner into the Wolfpack’s box, and forward Jacob Woznicki headed it home to tie the game at 1-1 with just over five minutes left in the first half.
“Gave them a little sniff on that corner kick,” Hubbard said. “Just got beat. That’s disappointing but that stuff happens, you’re just gonna move on and try and get to the next play.”
In the second half, NC State dominated play, outshooting Hofstra 12-4 and putting six shots on goal compared to the Pride’s three. Despite that, the Wolfpack could not net the game winner. Instead, it settled for its third straight draw.
Even though the Wolfpack hasn’t been able to capitalize with wins over ranked opponents, it has shown it can compete with them. That’s something that Hubbard can use as motivation for his team moving forward in its fourth-straight ranked matchup against SMU.
“As a group, we have to stick together and keep applying it every single day,” Hubbard said. ”So what’s gonna get us over the hump? Keep doing what we’re doing.”
Up next, the Pack is set to play No. 10 SMU in Raleigh on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Sports Editor
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