September 21, 2018

 

RALEIGH – The 18th-ranked NC State men’s soccer team (6-1-0, 1-1-0 ACC) picked up its second top-15 victory of the season on Friday evening, defeating visiting 14th-ranked Virginia Tech (5-3-1, 0-2-1 ACC) by a final score of 1-0.

 

WOLFPACK AND HOKIES IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
United Soccer Coaches: NC State (18), Virginia Tech (14)
Soccer America: NC State (9), Virginia Tech (25)
TopDrawerSoccer: NC State (6), Virginia Tech (16)

 

Senior forward Tanner Roberts scored his first goal of the season in just his second appearance of the year after coming back from an injury to propel NC State to the victory. Well positioned at the far post in the 55th minute, he nodded a cross from classmate Simon Blotko past Virginia Tech goalkeeper Mathijas Swaneveld to give his side a 1-0 lead it would not relinquish. Junior Gabriel Machado also assisted on the goal.

 

Postgame Notes

-The Wolfpack extended its series lead over the Hokies to 16-9-1. Friday’s victory marked the first win over Virginia Tech since 2013.

-NC State remains perfect at home (5-0-0) so far this season.

-Sophomore goalkeeper Leon Krapf earned his 11th shutout in his 25th career match.

-The Wolfpack outshot the Hokies 8-4 in the second half Friday evening.

 

The teams combined for seven total shots in the opening 45 minutes with each goalkeeper making two saves. NC State’s best opportunity of the first half came in the 42nd minute when Ivy Brisma was played in on goal and hit a low shot towards the near post from 10 yards out. Swaneveld made an impressive kick save to stop the attempt.

 

Krapf was tested twice in the first half, comfortably stopping shots by Jakob Bluemler in the 10th and 40th minutes.

 

Brisma (67’) and David Loera (88’) had opportunities to double NC State’s lead later on in the second half, but Brisma’s attempt curled just wide of the far post while Loera was stopped at close range for Swaneveld’s sixth stop of the evening.

 

Virginia Tech was denied two close opportunities to equalize the match. In the 69th minute, David Sanz snapped a sharp header square off the crossbar and Kristo Strickler was denied at point-blank range by Krapf in the 84th minute.

 

NC State returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 25 when the team plays at Pittsburgh. The Wolfpack will then host two straight home matches at Dail Soccer Stadium, welcoming sixth-ranked Louisville (Sept. 28) and James Madison (Oct. 2) to Raleigh.

 

#GoPack | @PackMensSoccer