The #12 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-1-2, 3-0-1 ACC) return to action, as they’ll hop on I-40 to Raleigh to take on the NC State Wolfpack (2-6-4, 1-1-2 ACC) in their 5th ACC game of the season. The Deacs are riding an 8 game unbeaten run, with a 6-0-2 record over that span. In their most recent game, Wake earned an emotional victory over the then #9 Duke Blue Devils (now #14) by a 3-2 score in Durham, giving them their first ranked win of the season. As for the Wolfpack, they are riding an unbeaten streak
of their own, as they have a 1-0-2 record over their last 3 games, including a 1-1 draw with #6 FSU in Raleigh and, most recently, a blockbuster 4-4 draw with Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. With the Deacs looking to establish themselves at the top of the national rankings and the ACC standings and the Wolfpack looking to keep their momentum and once again bring the fight to a ranked opponent, it is a huge clash in the context of both teams’ seasons.
Opponent History
The NC State women’s soccer program has had a rollercoaster ride to get to where they reside now. The program was founded in 1984, and, under the tutelage of head coach Larry Gross, the Wolfpack enjoyed a period of great success, making 8 NCAA tournament appearances, 7 quarterfinals, and 2 College Cups in his 10 years in charge. Gross’s crowning moment came in 1988, with the Wolfpack winning the inaugural ACC women’s soccer tournament in a penalty kick shootout, defeating a UNC team that had won the last 6 NCAA championships and that would go on to win the next 7. In the years since, though, the Pack have been in the wilderness.
After 3 consecutive NCAA appearances under Alvin Corneal from 1994-1996, State went 20 years without an NCAA tournament appearance, only returning to the national tournament under head coach Tim Santoro in 2016. Santoro took the job in 2013 when the Wolfpack program was a bottom feeder. He inherited a team that had gone 0-10 in conference play in 2012 under Steve Springthorpe and one that, since 1999, had only won only 17 of its 131 conference matchups. After a rocky start, Santoro did a wonderful job in Raleigh, bringing this NC State team to the NCAA tournament 6 times, most recently in 2022. With that said, though, it seems that the Pack may be back to their old struggles. Since their last NCAA tournament appearance in 2022, they are 9-25-14 overall and 4-12-8 in conference, a mark that led to Santoro’s dismissal last season and the hiring of former East Carolina and Lenoir Rhyne head coach Gary Higgins. Their recent history with Wake, however, has been more favorable. The Deacs and Wolfpack have split their last 3 meetings, with a win for each team and a draw in that span. Wake got the better of their most recent matchup, earning a 3-0 victory over State at Spry in their final regular season game last season. Prior to that, State earned a 1-1 draw in Winston-Salem in 2023 and defeated the Deacs 2-1 in Raleigh the year prior to that, ending a 4 game winless streak that went back to 2016. Wake has a clear advantage in the all time series, though, holding a 20-8-3 record against the Pack.
Tactics and Breakdown
In his first season, Higgins has typically set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with the midfield two being deeper defensive midfielders. Against the ball, State will press with their 4 attacking players and leave their midfield pivot and their back four further back. When the ball does get past that 4-player press, the Pack defense is aggressive, stepping up on passes into opposing forwards to limit transition opportunities and utilize their numerical advantage in that area of the field to win the ball back quickly. With the ball, the Wolfpack are very pragmatic, rarely committing many numbers forward. Their fullbacks will typically stay further back while their midfield two will step a bit higher, particularly in transition moments when they have more license to carry the ball. With that said, the Pack are not scared to hit shots from distance, taking any opportunity they can to put the ball on the frame.
While this setup may read as negative to some, it has paid some real dividends for State. After an 0-5-1 start in August that saw them surrender 14 goals and score only 3, the Wolfpack have been better of late, going 2-1-3 in September, keeping 3 shutouts in the process. They’ve also scored 11 times since the start of September, including two 4 goal explosions against Campbell in a 4-0 victory and Virginia Tech in the aforementioned 4-4 draw this past Saturday. Although their recent form is something they can hang their hat on, this is still a team that has struggled mightily this year. Their 1.17 goals per game this season puts them joint 225th in the nation in that category and tied with Pittsburgh for the second worst mark in the ACC. They are also joint 274th and worst in the ACC in goals allowed per game, averaging 1.75 goals allowed each outing. Although they have some individual talent going forward, their attacking output relies heavily on those individual talents creating moments of magic, while, defensively, they can be vulnerable through the middle of the field even when they are in their shape.
But, with this team, the stats do not tell the full story. The Wolfpack of late have proven to be a tough out for big opponents, holding #6 FSU to 4 shots on target in a 1-1 draw and nearly snatching a 1-1 draw with #2 Notre Dame before an 86th minute Irish winner took all three points away. They also look like a difficult matchup for a Wake team that thrives in transition situations, as, even though they have conceded many goals this season, the Pack have done well to limit transition opportunities for their opponents. They also cashed in on some transition opportunities in their most recent game against Virginia Tech, which has proven to be a weak point defensively for the Deacs. Although Wake did very well in their most recent game against Duke to keep the game in front of them and prevent Duke’s midfield from progressing the ball through the middle of the field, the question is whether that is the Wake spine that comes out in this game. While it is there for the taking for the Deacs, it will not be easy pickings.
Players to Watch
The Deacs will want to keep a keen eye on NC State junior center forward Jade Bordeleau. The Canadian has been the Wolfpack’s primary goalscoring threat, scoring 6 of their 14 goals this season. She is an aerial threat in the box and a great striker of the ball, but, beyond that, she has great off the ball movement and instincts in the 18 yard area that make her dangerous. Another player to keep an eye out for is the Wolfpack’s Mana Nakata. The sophomore midfielder out of Osaka, Japan has shown flashes of brilliance this season, registering a goal and 3 assists thus far. She is a heady player with a strong ability to read the game defensively, but she has some real talent with the ball and can really make some magic happen both off the dribble and with her passing. Her one goal so far this season came from near 40 yards out against Virginia Tech and was featured on SportsCenter. If she can get the ball in the attacking third, she is one of those players that can make the difference for State.
For Wake, the player I would pick to have a big impact on this game is Lola Ressler. The sophomore attacking midfielder has really blossomed into a quality player this season, registering 4 goals and an assist so far. Her skillset will be hugely important to Wake’s attacking output in this game, as her ability to navigate tight spaces and make intelligent runs could be a huge advantage against a State spine that has looked a bit soft in the middle. Whether she plays as a striker in a 4-4-2 or as an attacking midfielder in a 4-3-3, she will be important to Wake’s success in this game. Another player to watch is Alex Wood. The senior center forward has only played 3 games this season, but she scored a goal and assisted in the Deacs’ 3-2 win over Duke last week and figures to be in line for more minutes the rest of the way in a position without a clear starter. Wood is a hard working finisher who has been angling for a bigger role since she scored 7 goals and added 3 assists in her freshman season, but has not been able to replicate that production in the years since. She showed signs of returning to her 2022 form last week, and this game will offer her an opportunity to build on that further. A struggling State center back pairing could allow for a fox in the box forward like Wood to have a few opportunities from inside the 18 yard area, and, in those spots, she has proven to be dangerous.
Where to Watch
Wake vs NC State is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 PM EDT at Dail Soccer field in Raleigh. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
