PROVO, Utah — Eighth-ranked Arkansas Soccer (17-4-2, 8-1-1) fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to the NC State Wolfpack (12-6-4, 4-2-4) on Thursday afternoon. It’s the second season in three years that the Razorbacks have fallen to NC State in the NCAA Tournament.
The Razorbacks made their second-straight appearance in the second round this season and fifth in program history. Arkansas also made school history winning the program’s first SEC title, appearing in its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament and being awarded a national three seed.
How It Happened
>> NC State grabbed the lead after Kia Rankin put away a rebound from a Wolfpack corner in the 18th-minute.
>> The Wolfpack added their second off a set piece when LuLu Guttenberger put a shot away in the 48th-minute.
>> Tori Cannata got a goal back for the Hogs off a corner with two minutes to play, however the two-goal deficit was too much for Arkansas.
The Run of Play
Anna Podojil got a shot early in the fourth-minute but it was deflected by the Wolfpack ‘keeper away from goal. Her shot would be only one on target for either team through the first 15, but NC State did have a couple looks off set pieces early on.
The Wolfpack eventually capitalized on a set piece, putting away a rebound from a corner in the 18th-minute.
Kaelee VanGundy, who scored her first goal of the season in the first round against North Texas, deflected an Ashton Gordon cross on target in the 40th-minute that was pushed away by the Wolfpack goalie. Arkansas would head to the locker room down by one but holding a 7-5 shot advantage with three of those coming on target.
NC State added another coming out of the locker room off a set piece early in the second half for the two-goal lead.
In the 71st-minute Claire Monyard got a strike off from just outside the box in the 71st-minute that forced the Wolfpack ‘keeper to the ground for her fourth save of the afternoon.
Arkansas eventually got one back from Cannata and had a shot from Stef Doyle go just over the crossbar as time expired, but the Razorbacks fell, 2-1.
