Freshman defender Mackenzie Smith placed the ball perfectly inside the box off a corner kick, where junior Annika Wohner delivered the equalizer for N.C. State at 87:35 in a match that would end in a 1-1 draw with the Scarlet Knights before a crowd of 1,462 at Dail Soccer Field.
Playing in their black jerseys during their first road match of the season, the Scarlet Knights appeared to have shaken off the disappointing loss against Hofstra. Carrying a rejuvenated spirit from the outset of the game, the Knights got the better of play during the first half, holding a 7-4 advantage in shots, with four of those seven chances on goal. The match had just one corner kick in the first half, which was awarded to the Wolfpack.
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Goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer again played with the aggressive style that RU fans have become used to through the first two matches this season, coming out of the net and challenging Wolfpack players to beat her.
Clearly the RU strategy was to advance the ball down the right wing, as they continued to get quality scoring threats when they did so. The first goal of the game, in fact, was directly due to this strategy. Senior Sara Brocious raced down the right sideline, firing a tremendous crossing pass to forward Allison Lowrey, who chipped it into the net for the lone Rutgers goal of the contest.
Down 1-0 in the second half, the Wolfpack turned up the offense, getting their first scoring opportunity blown dead on an offsides call, and then sailing a shot high over the net on their second chance.
With the Wolfpack controlling possession through the first 14 minutes, constant play in the Rutgers end of the field forced RU into an exhaustive defensive effort. However, as the Wolfpack’s efforts went unrewarded, play grew increasingly physical. As collisions became the norm, players from both teams started hitting the turf up and down the pitch.
As pressure by N.C. State increased, the Wolfpack got its best scoring chance off a corner kick, as a well-placed header by Brianna Weber was snatched by Bodmer at point-blank range to keep the match scoreless at 65:10.
But as the second half wound down, the Wolfpack flooded the offensive zone. Facing repeated scoring threats, Rutgers dropped into a defense-first mentality in an attempt to hang on to their slim lead.
However, the scrappy Wolfpack were able to create confusion in front of the net off the late corner kick, and the ball would get past Bodmer to reach the Rutgers net to tie the game 1-1.
In past seasons, the RU defense would have squeezed the life out of the match like a boa constrictor to protect a slim lead, but again the 2023 Scarlet Knights would walk away disappointed as a late goal by the opposition would spoil their efforts.
The lack of scoring through the first three games this season is no doubt concerning to RU fans, but even more troubling is the late game heroics by their opponents for the second consecutive match.
To their credit, the Scarlet Knights have looked to infuse younger players into the game, with first-year players Ashley Baran collecting 21 minutes of play while Olivia Russomano logged 13. But veterans Allison Lynch and Kassidy Banks were on the pitch for an exhausting 90 minutes each, while Brocious, Emma Misal and reliable sophomore Allie Post each logged over 80 minutes apiece.
It will be interesting to see if the strategy changes in the next few matches to give younger players more field time in order to keep the veterans fresh at the end to close out games.
Now 1-1-1 on the young season, the Scarlet Knights will return home to face FDU on August 28. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Yurcak Field in Piscataway.
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