North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Soccer Opens Fall Camp
8/13/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
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Aug. 13, 2010
RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State men's soccer team took to the field for the first time this season on Friday morning. The Wolfpack will hold two practice sessions a day until the fall semester starts on August 18, as the Pack will continue to get ready for its season opener on September 3 against Sacramento State. Here are some early season notes:
• Building on last season's success: For the third time in the last seven years, the Pack returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2009. Thanks in large part to a run to the ACC Tournament championship game, the Pack received a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament, and entered the tournament as the No. 15 seed overall. NC State finished the 2009 season ranked No. 23 nationally, and was ranked the final 11 weeks of the season. The Pack first appeared in the national rankings after winning the Duke Classic in early September, and would climb as high was No. 13 on three different occasions.
• Finding a new goalkeeper: One of the main objectives in preseason camp will be finding a starting goalkeeper. Christopher Widman played every minute in the Pack's net last season, and graduated with 65 career starts in his three seasons as a starter. The Pack will turn to either redshirt junior Will Mackvick or freshman Carlos Villa in goal. Mackvick, from local Broughton High School, has been with the Pack since the 2007 season and has made three career starts. Villa comes from Venezuela where he has experience most recently playing with the U-20 National Team.
• Tough competition to start season: NC State's season will begin with a pair of top-25 teams over the first three games of the season. The Pack begins the regular season at the Duke/Nike Classic the first weekend of September. NC State opens with Sacramento State, ranked #28 in the preseason poll on CollegeSoccerNews.com, on Friday, September 3. The Pack will then face Louisville, #20 in the NSCAA poll and #24 on CollegeSoccerNews.com, on Sunday, September 5. The start of ACC play will also be the Packs home open, when NC State hosts North Carolina, #2 on CollegeSoccerNews.com and #4 in NSCAA poll, on September 10 at 7:00 p.m.
• Newcomers bring accolades: The Pack will welcome 14 new players to blend with 15 returnees from last year's squad. This year's incoming class features two NSCAA All-Americans, two international players with national team experience, and one Gatorade state Player of the Year among others. With the Pack losing seven started from last year's team, many newcomers will have the chance to see playing time right away.
• Senior leadership: Even though the Pack lost nine seniors from last year's squad, a trio of players with vast starting experience return for the 2010 season. Tyler Lassiter has started all 54 games he has played in during his Pack career, and will return to anchor the Pack's defense as a central defender. Lucas Carpenter also brings a wealth of experience to the Pack's backline, as Carpenter has started 40 games the last two seasons as an outside defender. Chris Zuerner has made 37 starts as a central midfielder the last two years, and is the Pack's top returning scorer with 13 points last season.
The Pack will play a pair of exhibition games before the regular season gets underway. NC State will first travel to Davidson on August 21, and then host High Point at the Dail Soccer Field on August 26 at 7:00 p.m.
