NC State Opens Season 4-0 for First Time Since 2013

Sunday, August 23

Raleigh, N.C.

7:30 PM

NC State

4-0-0, 0-0-0

Elon

2-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Elon	0	1	1
NC State	1	1	2

Erica Roberts and Gary Higgins Celebrate vs. Elon

NC State Opens Season 4-0 for First Time Since 2013

8/23/2026 11:16:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score MATCH 4 | Elon Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State women's soccer defeated Elon, 2-1, on Sunday night at Dail Soccer Stadium to move to 4-0 to start the season for the first time since the 2013 campaign. Jade Bordeleau and Erica Roberts scored for the Wolfpack in the victory.

Bordeleau gave NC State an early lead just three minutes and 30 seconds into the match. Freshman goalkeeper Riley Pickels sent a ball downfield that briefly fell to an Elon defender before Bordeleau won the deflection in the attacking third and immediately found the back of the net for her 20th career goal.

The Wolfpack outshot Elon, 11-2, in the opening half, but Bordeleau's goal was the only score of the first 45 minutes. NC State's best additional chance came from Carly Montgomery, who headed a corner kick off the crossbar.

NC State carried its 1-0 advantage into the second half and doubled its lead in the 66th minute when Roberts scored her second goal of the season. After she had a shot denied by Elon's keeper, Roberts redeemed herself on the next play, receiving a ball from Mary Frances Symmes that deflected off a Phoenix defender before firing a shot into the bottom-left corner.

Elon cut into the Wolfpack's lead in the 77th minute when Jessica Hill scored off a free kick, with the ball hitting the crossbar before crossing the goal line. The Phoenix could not find another equalizer, however, as NC State held on for the 2-1 victory.

The Wolfpack finished the match with a 22-8 advantage in shots and a 5-1 edge in corner kicks. Pickels made her first collegiate start in goal and recorded four saves.

Of Note:

Bordeleau's goal was the 20th of her career and her team-leading fourth of the season. She also led the Wolfpack with seven shots.
Roberts' goal was her second of the season and third of her career. She leads NC State with 22 shots this season, including six against Elon.
Pickels earned the first start of her collegiate career in goal and made four saves.
Fien Leijdekker made her first start of the 2026 season and the eighth start of her career.
The victory marked Gary Higgins' ninth win as NC State's head coach and the 119th of his coaching career.
NC State earned its 17th all-time win over Elon and remains unbeaten in the series, with 17 wins and one draw.
The Wolfpack is 4-0 to start a season for the first time since 2013.
NC State has won its first two home matches of the season for the first time since 2022.
NC State's 13 goals are the most in a four-game stretch since it scored 14 from Sept. 23 to Oct. 4 in 2018, and the most by the Wolfpack in the first four games of a season since 2013 (also 13 goals).

Up Next
NC State heads to High Point to take on the Panthers on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. The match will air on ESPN+.

For the latest on NC State women's soccer, follow @PackWSoccer on social media.