North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
16-2-4, 4-1-3
Saint Louis (Semifinals)
13-3-8, 5-0-3
Pack Powers Through to National Championship Match
12/13/2025 12:26:00 AM | Men's Soccer
CARY, N.C. – No. 15 NC State men's soccer advances to the NCAA National Championship match for the first time in program history after defeating Saint Louis 2-1 at First Horizon Stadium on Friday night.
Nearly 11,000 fans packed out First Horizon Stadium, marking the highest College Cup attendance since 2012 and largest attendance for the tournament in Cary.
Defeating the Saint Louis Bilikens by a final score of 2-1 at the First Horizon Stadium in Cary, N.C., the NC State Wolfpack advances to the 2025 NCAA National Championship match. This marks the first time in program history that the Pack has ever played in the title game.
Improving to 16-2-4 on the season, NC State still carries the most wins for the program since the 1990 season when the team was last in the College Cup.
Senior midfielder Carlos Santamaria stepped into the starting lineup to replace Tyler Caton at the defensive midfielder position, finding 77 minutes of action.
The Pack closed out the first half leading 8-0 shots over the Bilikens but could not find the back of the net despite all of their close opportunities.
The red-and-white thought they had a chance for the upperhand when a handball in the box by Saint Louis in the 61st minute granted NC State a penalty kick. Drew Lovelace's shot was saved by the goalkeeper, Jeremmi Abonnel, who has now saved four of five penalties taken on him this season.
Not long after the Pack was finally able to find the back of the net in the 69th minute when Calem Tommy fed Isaac Heffess on the left side of the field for him to then service a cross that was connected by Donavan Phillip's head. The goal marks his 18th of the season, pushing him to share the lead of total goals in the country this season. Phillip has the most goals in a season by a NC State player since Roy Lassiter in 1991.
Senior midfielder Taig Healy is on a roll, tallying his third consecutive game that he's scored a goal. Capitalizing on the biggest stage, Healy has scored only four goals all season and three of them have come from the NCAA Tournament.
Saint Louis was able to get one back in the 81st minute when a foul and yellow card were assessed to centerback Isaac Heffess in the box to grant a penalty kick. However, the Wolfpack held them off the remaining nine minutes to ensure its victory.
Up Next
No. 15 NC State will face the Washington Huskies on Monday at 7 p.m. in the championship match. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
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Team Stats
Donavan Phillip (18)
Assisted By: Isaac Heffess , Calem Tommy
Pass from Tommy to Heffess on endline; pass from Heffess found Phillip, who scores on header
68:36
Taig Healy (4)
Assisted By: Riley Moloney
Pass from Moloney along end line finds Healy, who scores on header
72:04
Quinten Blair (5)
SLU Quinten Blair PENALTY KICK GOAL.
80:04
