NC State
Wake Forest
NC State to Host #12 Wake Forest Thursday Night
10/1/2025 3:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State women's soccer (2-6-4, 1-1-2 ACC) returns to Dail Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 2, to host No. 12 Wake Forest (9-1-2, 3-0-1 ACC) for Fan Appreciation Night. The matchup will be the Wolfpack's first nationally televised game of the season, kicking off at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.
Due to construction on Morrill Dr, fans should expect major delays and allow more time to arrive on campus. For egress, patrons will be directed to use Cates Ave to Pullen Road or Dan Allen Dr to access Western Blvd.
Last Time Out
On a rainy Saturday night in Blacksburg, NC State battled Virginia Tech to a 4-4 draw in a wild, back-and-forth contest. Antonella Mazziotto delivered the equalizer with just seven seconds remaining, securing a point for the Pack and extending its unbeaten streak in ACC play to three matches.
Jade Bordeleau opened the scoring in the 24th minute off a pass from Daisy Duda before Virginia Tech pulled even with a penalty kick before halftime. After the break, the Hokies took the lead twice, only for NC State to answer each time with long-range strikes from Mana Nakata and Fien Leijdekker. Virginia Tech looked to have sealed the win with an 86th-minute goal, but Mazziotto's last-second finish ensured the Pack came away with a share of the points.
A Win Would …
- Mark Gary Higgins' third victory as head coach at NC State.
- Be the 404th win in program history.
- Be Higgins' 113th win in his coaching career.
- Mark the program's 9th all-time win over Wake Forest.
- Mark the second ACC win of the season for NC State.
Series History
Thursday marks the 32nd meeting between NC State and Wake Forest with the Demon Deacons leading the all-time series 20-8-3. The teams last met at Dail Soccer Stadium in 2022, when the Wolfpack earned a 2-1 victory, their most recent win over Wake Forest.
Scouting the Demon Deacons
No. 12 Wake Forest enters Thursday's match at 9-1-2 overall and sits fourth in the ACC with 10 points via wins over Miami, Virginia Tech, and Duke, along with a draw against Boston College.
Freshman Kylie Maxwell, the reigning ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, leads the Demon Deacons attack. The Langhorne, Pa., native has started all 12 matches, recording points in eight of them. She owns team highs in goals (5) and points (15), while ranking second in assists (5).
Defensively, Wake Forest has conceded just nine goals all season. Goalkeeper Valentina Amaral anchors the back line with a 0.76 goals-against average (6th in the ACC) and 39 saves (5th in the league).
September Success
The month of September was a turning point for the Pack, as the team posted a 2-1-3 record and going unbeaten in five of six matches. NC State enters Thursday's match on a three-game ACC unbeaten streak (win vs. SMU, draws vs. Florida State and Virginia Tech), marking the third straight year with a three-match conference unbeaten run.
Offensively, NC State tallied 11 goals in September, nearly quadrupling its August total of three, while defensively cutting its goals allowed in half (seven in September vs. 14 in August).
Bordeleau's Having a Ball
Bordeleau leads the Pack with six goals this season, already surpassing her team-best total from 2024. Her scoring mark ranks tied for 10th in the ACC. She enters Thursday on a three-match scoring streak, tallying the game-winner at SMU, converting a penalty against Florida State, and opening the scoring at Virginia Tech.
Bordeleau's six goals are the most by a Wolfpack player in a season since 2022, when Jameese Joseph recorded eight.
Wolfpack on the Big Screen
Thursday's match is the first of three times that NC State is set to appear on the nationally televised ACC Network. Each of the Wolfpack's ACCN matchups will come against opponents who reached the 2024 College Cup.
Following the match on Thursday, the Wolfpack will return to the network later in the month for two more contests, starting with another home match against Duke on Sunday, October 26 at 7 p.m. The regular season will conclude with a nationally televised showdown on the road at North Carolina on Thursday, October 30 at 8 p.m.
Up Next
The Pack travels to Boston College on Thursday, Oct. 9 for a 7 p.m. contest on ACCNX.
