NC State Reaches Elite Eight For First Time Since 1992
RALEIGH — For the first time in 33 years, No. 15 NC State men's soccer reached the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament, beating UNC Greensboro 2-0 on a rainy Sunday night to secure a spot. The Wolfpack reached the third round with a win over Marshall last week, setting up a rematch with the Spartans after the teams finished with a draw earlier in the regular season.
The elements proved to be no trouble for the Wolfpack, riding the high of a historic season for the program under head coach Marc Hubbard. Less than 24 hours before kickoff for Hubbard's team, he led the Wolfpack football team out of the tunnel at Carter-Finley Stadium before it took down North Carolina in the massive rivalry matchup.
How NC State got it done
ROAR OF THE WOLFPACK 🐾
— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) December 1, 2025
(15) @PackMensSoccer defeats UNCG, 2-0, to advance to the next round of the 2025 @NCAA DI Men’s Soccer Tournament.#NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/3t1sJwDrZ9
The Wolfpack attacked the Spartans from the jump, quickly forcing one of the nation's strongest offenses to play from behind. NC State worked its way up the right side of the field before Drew Lovelace and Calem Tommy connected inside the box and centered a pass to Taig Healy right in the middle of the box. Healy smashed the goal home, giving the Wolfpack the advantage six minutes into the match.
NC State went into the half nursing the one-goal lead, but needed some insurance. It appeared the Spartans were going to strike back after an hour of play, as UNCG's Issac Haruna made a perfect run in behind the Wolfpack defense. NC State goalkeeper Logan Erb left the box to try to clear the ball, but Haruna avoided him. Luckily for Erb, freshman defender Riley Maloney hustled back and deflected Haruna's weak attempt away from the net, preserving the lead.
Not getting past this freshman ❌ pic.twitter.com/0nu3rm4DEO
— NC State Men's Soccer (@PackMensSoccer) December 1, 2025
Some insurance helped the Pack finish the game comfortably. In the 79th minute, Carlos Santamaria left a soft pass for top goalscorer Donavan Phillip in the middle of the box. Phillip put enough on the shot that it deflected off the hand of the UNCG keeper and into the back of the net, putting the Pack up 2-0.
With the extra cushion and the comfort of one of the steadiest defenses in the country, Hubbard and his squad cruised to a win over the Spartans.
What's next
SHA LA LA LA LA LA OHHHH NC STAAATEEEE#CarryTheCulture pic.twitter.com/tI4XO4Lifh
— NC State Men's Soccer (@PackMensSoccer) December 1, 2025
The storybook season for the Wolfpack continues, as Hubbard and Co. are set to face the team they upset in 2024 to reach the Sweet 16, the Georgetown Hoyas. Should NC State take care of the Hoyas, it would return to North Carolina for the Final Four, an event played just down the road from home in Cary.
The Elite Eight matchup against Georgetown is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C.
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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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