NC State Falls 2-1 To Texas

Friday, August 20

Raleigh, N.C.

7:00 PM

NC State

0-1

Texas

1-0

Texas

NC State

8/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Aug. 20, 2010

Final Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. - Freshman Leah Fortune scored the Texas game winner in the 78th minute for a 2-1 victory over NC State in the women's soccer season opener for both clubs Friday night at Dail Soccer Field.

The first matchup between the two schools since 1995 saw a scoreless first half with the Wolfpack holding a decisive 5-1 advantage in shots.

But the visiting Longhorns scored the first goal of the night a little less than five minutes into the second half. Gabby Zarnegar struck the back of the net from just seven yards out into the far left corner. Kylie Doniak and Hannah Higgins picked up assists on the marker.

The youthful NC State group dug deep and struck for a 1-all tie in the 61st minute when freshman Jennie Krauser scored off a rebound when `Horns keeper Alexa Gual was unable to control the initial shot from junior reserve Kristina Argiroff.

For Krauser, playing her first collegiate game, it was a case of being in the right place at the right time and listening to what Coach Steve Springthorpe has preached to her all pre-season.

"Coach [Springthorpe] always says follow the shot, follow the shot, because you never know when the keeper might drop the ball and she did."

Moment's later Argiroff threatened to put NC State ahead in the 70th minute when her header bounced off the crossbar.

Ultimately in the late stages of the match, the bounce that decided tonight's outcome went in favor of Texas. Alisha Ortiz's shot deflected off a Wolfpack defender and fell to the foot of Fortune, a red-shirt freshman that trained with the Brazilian National Team as recently as three weeks ago, who slipped a shot past Pack keeper Kim Kern for the game's deciding goal.

NC State featured a starting 11 with three true freshmen and only five regular starters from 2009. At times the youthfulness may have showed up during the game, but Springthorpe is set on giving playing time to the ones that deserve it.

"If you're good enough you're going to have the opportunity to play," said Springthorpe. "We lined up the players we thought would give us the best chance to have success in this game and for the most part I thought they did well."

The first half saw the Wolfpack enjoy the better end of the scoring chances. Blosser was denied by Gaul twice in the opening 20 minutes, including a real nice stop midway through the stanza when she got a head on a through ball.

Later in the half red-shirt freshman Meaghan Proper had a good look at goal, but sent her shot wide right.

The Longhorns stormed out of intermission with a different look and it paid off.

"It was more of what [Texas] was starting to do," Springthorpe explained. "They got their outside backs forward more so they put more people in the attack and that forced us to defend differently. They put more pressure on us."

Although both Texas goals came off of set pieces, including a flip throw in that is more gymnastics then soccer, Springthorpe was pleased with his defense that had a pair of freshmen starting, Paige Dugal in back for the first time after two years at forward, and Alyson Santilli rounding out the quartet, who has mainly been a midfielder for three seasons.

"When you only give up five shots and two, maybe three on goal that's not a bad effort from a back line, said Springthorpe. "I was pretty happy with what they did just a little unlucky."

NC State continues its season-opening home stand Monday against Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m.