Vera Nets Three In 5-1 Rout of Elon

Friday, August 29

Raleigh, N.C.

7:00 PM

NC State

3-0

Elon

0-1

Elon

NC State

8/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. NC State All-ACC forward Lindsay Vera struck for three goals Friday night in a 5-1 victory over Elon in women’s soccer action at NC State Soccer Stadium.

Held relatively quit over the first two matches of the season, Vera wasted no time in finding the back of the net in the 10th minute. The Houston, Texas, native corralled a pass at mid field, took two dribbles to get up to full speed, weaved through the Elon defense and blasted a shot from 19 yards out.

Just over three minutes later Vera lofted a deft shot into the upper left-corner from 15 yards and just like that, Elon (0-1) was behind 2-0 12:39 into its 2008 campaign.

Fellow forward Kara Baldy got into the mix in the 16th minute when she drove home a rebound just in front of the Phoenix goal line. Keeper Lizz Johnson blocked the initial shot by Nadia Aboulhosn, but it went right to the boot of Baldy and she had her second marker of the young season.

Vera capped her night in the 25th minute when she deflected in a direct kick from Gia Cipollini that basically setup as a corner kick for a comfortable 4-0 NC State advantage.

It marked the second time in Vera’s career that she has scored three goals in a game. The senior captain turned the trick in the 2007 season opener against Davidson, a similar 5-1 win for the Pack.

Elon got on the board in the 71st minute on a nice goal from Kerri Speers. She one touched a pass from Katina Boozer past NC State keeper Rachel Barnette for the first goal allowed by the Wolfpack all season.

Aboulhosn wrapped up the scoring just over two minutes later when she got loose from the Elon defense and scored on second half keeper Sydney Little.

The five markers scored tonight equals the most goals for the Pack since that Davidson game last August.

NC State held a dominating shot advantage for the third straight match, out shooting Elon, 19-5, while also holding a 10-3 lead in corner kicks.

NC State puts its unblemished record on the line next Friday during the first day of the NC State /Residence Inn North Women’s Soccer Tournament. The Wolfpack takes on Virginia Commonwealth at 7:30 p.m. UNC Greensboro and Stetson precede that match at 5 p.m.