North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Soccer Nets Win Over #1 North Carolina
9/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Chapel Hill, N.C. The NC State men’s soccer team started its ACC conference slate off with a bang Wednesday night, knocking off No. 1 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, 3-1. With the score tied 1-1 at the half, the Wolfpack (3-2, 1-0 ACC) used two second half goals to down the top-ranked Tar Heels (4-1, 0-1 ACC). The win over UNC was the Pack’s first since the 1997 season, and the first win in Chapel Hill since 1996. Over the last four seasons, NC State has knocked off five top-10 foes.
Both teams would notch a goal apiece in the first 45 minutes of play. NC State struck first in the 24th minute of action. Junior El Hadj Cisse played a long ball into space to freshman Jorge Mora along the left wing. Mora took one touch, when UNC’s keeper Justin Hughes came out of the net. But Hughes misplayed the ball, and Mora proceeded to take one dribble around the keeper and slip his shot into the empty net at the 23:46 mark. The goal was the first given up by North Carolina in five games to start this season.
The Tar Heels would even the score just over a minute later at the 24:49 mark. Michael Harrington gathered a loose ball along the left sideline and sent a cross into the NC State penalty box. Corey Ash got his head to the ball, and flicked the ball into the net in the 25th minute.
NC State would have two more chances before the half, both by Mora. His first attempted came after he gathered the ball off a long throw-in and fired a shot to the near post, and his second was a free kick from about 30 yards out. Both shots were saved by UNC’s Hughes.
The two teams recorded eight shots on goal in the first half, with NC State’s Chris Widman making one foot save in the 14th minute.
The two teams would go back and fourth for the first 25 minutes of the second half, before NC State notched two goals in a five minute span for the monumental victory. The Pack’s would score its gamewinning goal in the 72nd minute of action. Senior Santiago Fusilier gathered the ball at midfield, and with nobody around him, he launched a shot into the upper corner of the UNC goal from about 35 yards outs for his first goal of the season.
NC State would add an insurance goal in the 77th minute. Freshman Alan Sanchez was taken down in the penalty box by UNC’s Andre Sherard just as he was about to shoot. NC State was awarded the penalty kick, and Sanchez knocked home his third goal in the last two games for the final goal of the game.
Neither team saw another quality chance on net, as the Pack picked up the road win. The win was also the Pack’s first 1-0 start to ACC play since 1997, after tying a top-10 squad each of the last two seasons.
The Pack will return to action this weekend, hosting No. 3/2 Virginia on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Method Road.
Scoring: NC State Mora unassisted at 23:46
North Carolina Ashe from Harrigton at 24:49
NC State Fusilier unassisted at 71:41
NC State Sanchez on a penalty kick at 76:42
Shots: NCSU 12, UNC 12
Saves: NCSU 1 (Widman 1), UNC 2 (Hughes 2)
Corner Kicks: NCSU 3, UNC 5
Fouls: NCSU 16, UNC 14
Records: NCSU (3-2, 1-0 ACC); UNC (4-1, 0-1 ACC)
Both teams would notch a goal apiece in the first 45 minutes of play. NC State struck first in the 24th minute of action. Junior El Hadj Cisse played a long ball into space to freshman Jorge Mora along the left wing. Mora took one touch, when UNC’s keeper Justin Hughes came out of the net. But Hughes misplayed the ball, and Mora proceeded to take one dribble around the keeper and slip his shot into the empty net at the 23:46 mark. The goal was the first given up by North Carolina in five games to start this season.
The Tar Heels would even the score just over a minute later at the 24:49 mark. Michael Harrington gathered a loose ball along the left sideline and sent a cross into the NC State penalty box. Corey Ash got his head to the ball, and flicked the ball into the net in the 25th minute.
NC State would have two more chances before the half, both by Mora. His first attempted came after he gathered the ball off a long throw-in and fired a shot to the near post, and his second was a free kick from about 30 yards out. Both shots were saved by UNC’s Hughes.
The two teams recorded eight shots on goal in the first half, with NC State’s Chris Widman making one foot save in the 14th minute.
The two teams would go back and fourth for the first 25 minutes of the second half, before NC State notched two goals in a five minute span for the monumental victory. The Pack’s would score its gamewinning goal in the 72nd minute of action. Senior Santiago Fusilier gathered the ball at midfield, and with nobody around him, he launched a shot into the upper corner of the UNC goal from about 35 yards outs for his first goal of the season.
NC State would add an insurance goal in the 77th minute. Freshman Alan Sanchez was taken down in the penalty box by UNC’s Andre Sherard just as he was about to shoot. NC State was awarded the penalty kick, and Sanchez knocked home his third goal in the last two games for the final goal of the game.
Neither team saw another quality chance on net, as the Pack picked up the road win. The win was also the Pack’s first 1-0 start to ACC play since 1997, after tying a top-10 squad each of the last two seasons.
The Pack will return to action this weekend, hosting No. 3/2 Virginia on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Method Road.
Scoring: NC State Mora unassisted at 23:46
North Carolina Ashe from Harrigton at 24:49
NC State Fusilier unassisted at 71:41
NC State Sanchez on a penalty kick at 76:42
Shots: NCSU 12, UNC 12
Saves: NCSU 1 (Widman 1), UNC 2 (Hughes 2)
Corner Kicks: NCSU 3, UNC 5
Fouls: NCSU 16, UNC 14
Records: NCSU (3-2, 1-0 ACC); UNC (4-1, 0-1 ACC)
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