October 12, 2018

 

RALEIGH – The NC State men’s soccer team (8-3-2, 2-3-1 ACC) picked up its third win over a top-14 foe this season on Friday evening, defeating No. 1 UNC-Chapel Hill by a final score of 1-0 in front of a sellout crowd of 3,229 fans at Dail Soccer Stadium.

 

Sophomore midfielder David Loera provided a moment of magic during the victory, dribbling 50 yards down the field and through multiple defenders in the 53rd minute before beating UNC goalkeeper James Pyle to the left post with a shot from 15 yards.

 

Classmate Leon Krapf was sensational in goal, making five saves to record the 14th shutout of his career.

 

Postgame Notes

-The Tar Heels (9-2-1, 4-1-0) outshot the Wolfpack by an 18-2 margin and earned 11 corner kicks to NC State’s two, but the Wolfpack prevented them from cashing in on any of their chances.

-This was NC State’s first win over UNC-CH since 2013 and first win over UNC-CH in Raleigh since 1997.

-The last four meetings between the teams have been decided by final scores of 1-0.

 

The match was relatively even for the first half hour, but UNC-CH stepped up its pressure during the later stages by recording six shots and four corners between minutes 32-45.

 

Loera’s goal in the 53rd minute was the first shot of the second half for either team, and NC State’s second of the match and the first on target.

 

The middle portion of the second half was heavily tilted towards UNC-CH, with Krapf making saves in the 63rd and 64th minutes while a close-ranged volley from Niles Bruening rang squarely off the crossbar in the 69th.

 

The Wolfpack possessed the ball well over the course of the final 20 minutes, allowing just three shots (none on goal) on its way to closing out the victory.

 

NC State returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at No. 13 UNCW. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm from UNCW Soccer Stadium.

 

#GoPack | @PackMensSoccer