CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The NC State women’s soccer team fell at Atlantic Coast Conference foe Miami Thursday night, losing to the Hurricanes by a final score of 2-1. Jackie Stengel scored a late goal to pull the Wolfpack within one in the 89th minute, but the Hurricanes were able to hold on for the victory.

The loss was the first that NC State (6-3, 1-2 ACC) had experienced on the road in 2013. The Wolfpack had beaten Navy (Aug. 23) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 15) away from home prior to Thursday’s match.

Each team registered  one shot in the first few moments of the match before Miami (6-2, 1-2 ACC) was able to take the lead in the 19th minute. Receiving a pass from teammate Jasmine Patterson, Erin McGovern hit a sharp strike from more than 20 yards away to beat Mackenzie Stelljes and give the Hurricanes an early 1-0 lead.

NC State fought back near the end of the first half, attempting two shots and earning a corner kick. Caroline Gentry (Raleigh, N.C.) hit a header high of the target in the 35th minute; Gladys Loyas (Goshen, N.Y.) had an attempt blocked in the 44th, and Meagan Proper (Garner, N.C.) attempted the Wolfpack’s first corner of the match in the 45th minute.

Miami came out of the locker room to start the second half with an attacking intent, recording five shots in the first 20 minutes of the second half. NC State’s defense was equal to the task each time, as two attempts were blocked, two went wide of the target, and one was saved by Stelljes.

The Wolfpack generated a number of good scoring opportunities in the middle stages of the second half, recording three shots between the 71st and 77th minutes. Following an NC State corner kick, Gentry headed a shot just wide of the target in the 71st minute. Shortly thereafter, Stengel hit an attempt in the 73rd minute which also went wide of the frame.

Shelli Spamer (McMurray, Pa.) then had a good attempt in the 77th minute, firing a shot on target. Hurricane goalkeeper Catalina Perez was able to get into position and make the save, keeping Miami’s lead at one.

Miami doubled its advantage in the 82nd minute when Patterson, who provided the assist on the first Hurricane tally, found the back thanks to an unfortunate deflection off a Wolfpack defender which left the ball sitting up nicely for her to strike from eight yards out.

The Wolfpack pulled one goal back in the 89th minute, scoring when Stengel (Melbourne, Fla.) got on the end of a nice corner from Proper and headed it into the right corner. The goal was Stengel’s seventh of the season  and her second in two matches.

NC State will next be in action on Sunday, Sept. 22 at No. 3 Florida State. The Wolfpack and Seminoles will kick off at 1 p.m. with the match being broadcast live on ESPN3.

#GoPack