Wolfpack Shuts Out Elon On Senior Night

Sunday, September 5

Raleigh, N.C.

7 PM

NC State

3-1-2, 0-0-0

Elon

2-3-0, 0-0-0

Elon

NC State

9/5/2021 9:37:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

RALEIGH – The NC State women's soccer team (3-1-2) collected its second-straight shutout win on Sunday evening thanks to its 1-0 result over Elon (2-3-0) at Dail Soccer Stadium.

The Wolfpack honored its senior class of Denae Antoine, Jenna Butler, Sandra Geiselhart, Lulu Guttenberger, Margot Ridgeway, Toni Starova and Mia Thillet prior to the start of the match.

"Just another class that has been a part of the rebirth of this program," said head coach Tim Santoro. "Since 2016, we have taken this program to another league and this group is a big part of that. That is another reason why it is important to win games like these, to celebrate them and win the game. It was awesome."

♥️ pic.twitter.com/kT24uxfSOb
— PackWSoccer⚽️ (@PackWSoccer) September 5, 2021

The Pack outshot the Phoenix, 12-3, in the first half and controlled possession for a majority of the 45 minutes, but couldn't find the back of the net. Jameese Joseph had a couple of quality chances in the half, as her shot in the 14th minute from 20 yards out hit the crossbar and her strike in the 42nd minute inside the box that was headed toward the bottom right part of the net was saved by Elon keeper McKenna Dalfonso.

Lulu Guttenberger sent a shot from midfield into the back of the net as time expired, but the goal did not count.

Butler broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when she headed it in off a corner kick that was serviced by Emika Kawagishi. It was her third tally of the year, and all three of her goals have been header goals off of set pieces.

"It was really exciting," said Butler. "We were getting later into the second half and I just started thinking how we needed a goal. We kept missing chances on corners and I thought, this is the one. Emika did an amazing job on the cross and luckily I was able to head it in."

💥 pic.twitter.com/2p6ikOR0ni
— PackWSoccer⚽️ (@PackWSoccer) September 6, 2021

Elon's best chance of the night came in the 83rd minute when Kelly Degnan finished to the bottom left corner of the net, but Maria Echezarreta made the diving save to preserve the shutout.

In total, the Pack tallied a season-high 22 shots (six on target) in the match and controlled possession for 70 percent of the contest, with Joseph and Annika Wohner leading the way with five shots apiece

NC State will return to action next week with a pair of matches against Oklahoma and No. 7 Penn State September 9 and 12, in respective order, at Klockner Stadium on the University of Virginia's campus. Its match with the Sooners is slated for a 4:30 p.m. kickoff, while the contest with the Nittany Lions is set for a 3 p.m. start.