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NC State Men's Soccer Makes History

The Wolfpack will play in the College Cup for the second time in program history.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State College Cup Ticket
NC State College Cup Ticket | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

RALEIGH — For the second time in program history, NC State men's soccer is heading to the College Cup in Cary, North Carolina. The Wolfpack won its Elite Eight matchup against Georgetown 3-2, outlasting the Hoyas in a high-scoring affair on a cold night in Washington, D.C.

It was a monumental moment for the program, which will now play in NCAA soccer's equivalent to the Final Four just down the road from home for the first time since 1990. While the Pack can celebrate for a few days, the group will get back to work on Friday night as the highest seed left in the tournament.

How NC State upset the Hoyas

NC State made waves in the 2024 NCAA Tournament when it upset the Hoyas in a similar fashion, reaching the Sweet 16 despite Georgetown being the No. 4 seed in the field. The Wolfpack had no fear of going on the road after winning its first two games of the 2025 tournament at home, partially because it knew it could take care of business against the Hoyas.

The Pack came out firing on all cylinders offensively. Senior midfielder Taig Healy found himself with the ball after a long throw-in deflected in his direction. He fired a shot on the ground that somehow avoided the legs of several Georgetown players and landed in the back of the net to give the Wolfpack a lead just six minutes into the game.

Senior Drew Lovelace added a goal of his just two minutes later, giving the Wolfpack a 2-0 cushion before Georgetown could even catch its collective breath after the first goal. NC State's strong defense didn't appear to need much help moving forward, but Georgetown refused to go quietly with a trip to the College Cup on the line. The Hoyas cut the Wolfpack's lead in half later in the first half.

NC State added what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 35th minute, as Carlos Santamaria buried a penalty kick to put the Wolfpack up 3-1. Georgetown scored one more time in the first half, but failed to generate any threat in the second half, as the Wolfpack defense locked things down and secured its trip to the final two rounds of the tournament.

The final four programs in the tournament are an eclectic group of teams. Joining the Wolfpack will be Saint Louis, Washington and Furman. The Wolfpack is set to face the Billikens in the semifinal match on Friday night, as NC State will try to keep its historic run going with a win.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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