Winners of two straight, Boston College women’s soccer will host its Senior Day matchup against North Carolina State on Sunday. Both BC and N.C. State enter the game ranked in the national polls—at 11th and 23rd, respectively—but the Eagles have boasted a superior mark in conference play this season, currently posting a 4-1 record against ACC opponents. Seeking its third-straight conference victory, BC will attempt to maintain its defensive prowess, most recently exhibited in its 3-0 shutout of Virginia Tech and 2-0 win over Clemson.
The two teams are separated by six spots in the conference standings, but BC’s climb to the top is fairly recent. On the other hand, the Wolfpack resembles that of a middle-of-the-pack ACC team, having only won two conference matches this fall. Still, its recent scoring abilities against fellow ACC teams, such as Duke, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh, turned heads within the conference. Hungry to rise in the polls, the Wolfpack will enter Newton Soccer Field with a goal identical to the Eagles: do whatever it takes to tack on three points.
Who is BC playing?
North Carolina State
When is BC playing?
Sunday, Oct. 7, 1 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Newton Soccer Field, Newton, Mass.
How to watch:
The match will be available on ACC Network Extra, which can be accessed via WatchESPN.
By the numbers:
BC:
1) BC midfielder Sam Coffey ranks fourth in the country in total points, leading the ACC in assists (11) as well as total points (27).
2) The Eagles boast a 12-1 record with two recent victories over ACC brethren Clemson and Virginia Tech. Olivia Vaughn recorded two goals and led the charge against the Tigers. Jillian Jennings contributed to the victory over the Hokies with an impressive assist.
3) BC has only given up one goal in its last two contests, which really speaks to the strength of this Eagles defense. This is largely due to goal keeper Alexis Bryant who continues to be a defensive stalwart for head coach Alison Foley.
N.C. State:
1) The Wolfpack has racked up a total of 93 points on the season, more than any other team in the ACC and the 11th-most in the country.
2) This year marks the first time that N.C. State has ever scored six or more goals against multiple ACC opponents in a single season.
3) The Wolfpack recently played Duke to a 1-1 draw. To put that in perspective, that was the first time since 2000 that N.C. State either beat or tied the Blue Devils.
Last Meeting:
Last season’s matchup was a battle of the defenses, ending in a 1-0 Wolfpack win on Sept. 21, 2017. BC’s Madison Kenny led the offense with two shots, while Elysa Virella, Kayla Jennings, Sam Coffey, and Olivia Vaughn logged one shot apiece. This aggressive offensive action proved fruitless against N.C. State goalkeeper Sydney Wootten, but the Wolfpack struggled against a similar force in BC’s Alexis Bryant. In the 90th minute, N.C. State midfielder Tziarra King carried the ball past midfield and ultimately ripped a shot into the upper left corner of the net to notch the game’s lone goal. The scoring play was her seventh of the season—at the time, the most in the ACC—and secured a Wolfpack victory, ending a three-game Eagles winning streak.
Outlook:
BC is seeded to take this match, in terms of the ACC standings. If the Eagles can harness the momentum from their past two conference victories over Clemson and VTech, they should have no problem facing a team with arguably less impressive stats. BC has to be cognizant of the Wolfpack’s scoring abilities, however, and resist the urge to get too comfortable. The Eagles will need to recruit their sterling defensive skills in order to stunt the ferocious Wolfpack attack. If Coffey and Bryant continue to work cohesively to post points and stop the opposing offense, respectively, BC should experience no problem in attaining yet another conference win.
Featured Image by Hao Ran / For The Heights
