Sunday, August 24
Davidson, NC
1 PM
NC State
at
Davidson
Wolfpack Concludes Road Swing Sunday at Davidson
8/23/2025 12:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DAVIDSON, N.C. – NC State women's soccer (0-2-1, 0-0-0 ACC) wraps up its three-game road stretch on Sunday, Aug. 24, with a matchup against Davidson (2-1-0, 0-0-0 A10) at Alumni Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
NC State fell 3-0 to No. 20 Michigan State on Thursday, Aug. 21, at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans opened the scoring in the third minute on a goal from Kennedy Bell, then extended their lead in the 37th on a left-footed finish by Kayla Briggs. Ava Lutke added a third tally in the 68th minute off a set piece to seal the result.
The Wolfpack generated plenty of opportunities despite the setback, recording 10 shots with five on target. NC State narrowly trailed Michigan State in total shot attempts (11-10), but placed one more on frame (5-4).
A Win Would …
Sunday's matchup marks the 13th all-time meeting between NC State and Davidson, with the Wolfpack holding an 11-1 advantage in the series. Davidson's lone win came in 2000, a 1-0 road decision, while the teams last faced off in 2017, when NC State secured a 4-0 victory at Dail Soccer Stadium.
Scouting the Wildcats
Davidson has opened the 2025 season with a 2-1 record, most recently falling on the road to App State, 2-0. The Wildcats' wins have come over UNCG (2-1) and USC Upstate (3-0).
All five of the Wildcats' goals this season have come from five different players. Sophomore Sophia Whiddon leads the team in points with three (1 goal, 1 assist) and also paces the squad with eight shots. Whiddon is coming off a standout freshman campaign in which she earned A-10 All-Rookie honors after leading Davidson with five assists.
The Wildcats are led by third-year head coach Riley Piechnick, who guided the program to an A10 quarterfinal appearance in 2024. Davidson finished last season 8-8-3 overall.
Welcome Home, Coach Higgins
NC State McMurray Family Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan named Higgins the sixth head coach in program history in December 2024. Higgins arrived in Raleigh after three seasons at East Carolina, where he guided the Pirates to a historic 2024 campaign that included a 10-4-7 record, an American Athletic Conference title, and the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
Prior to his time at ECU, Higgins coached at his alma mater, Lenoir Rhyne, leading the Bears to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. The former standout player brings more than a decade of coaching experience and a proven track record of building winning programs.
Higgins' first year with the Wolfpack features an entirely new coaching staff. Associate head coach Joanna Fennema, a former North Carolina standout, led Lenoir Rhyne to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Assistants David Rodriguez (NC Courage Academy) and Juan Basabe (Lenoir Rhyne) also join the staff, each bringing valuable collegiate and club-level experience.
Breaking Down the Roster
NC State opens 2025 with a 25-player roster featuring 14 returners and 11 newcomers, including five transfers, four freshmen and two sophomores. By class, the Pack have five seniors (one redshirt), nine juniors (one redshirt), seven sophomores and four freshmen.
The team returns its 2024 leaders in goals and points, Jade Bordeleau, and assists leader, Mana Nakata. Five starters from last season are back: Nakata (18 starts), Olivia Pratapas (17), Yuna Aoki (14), Alex Mohr (12) and Bordeleau (11).
Three transfers arrive from programs led by current staff including Mackenzie Smith and Erica Roberts from ECU and Lilly Soltz from Lenoir Rhyne.
Up Next
NC State returns home to Dail Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 27, to host Western Carolina at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ACCNX.
Last Time Out
NC State fell 3-0 to No. 20 Michigan State on Thursday, Aug. 21, at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans opened the scoring in the third minute on a goal from Kennedy Bell, then extended their lead in the 37th on a left-footed finish by Kayla Briggs. Ava Lutke added a third tally in the 68th minute off a set piece to seal the result.
The Wolfpack generated plenty of opportunities despite the setback, recording 10 shots with five on target. NC State narrowly trailed Michigan State in total shot attempts (11-10), but placed one more on frame (5-4).
A Win Would …
- Mark the first victory for the Wolfpack under first-year head coach Gary Higgins.
- Be the 403rd win in program history.
- Be Higgins' 111th win in his coaching career.
- Mark the 12th win over Davidson in the all-time series.
- Be the first victory of the 2025 campaign for NC State.
Sunday's matchup marks the 13th all-time meeting between NC State and Davidson, with the Wolfpack holding an 11-1 advantage in the series. Davidson's lone win came in 2000, a 1-0 road decision, while the teams last faced off in 2017, when NC State secured a 4-0 victory at Dail Soccer Stadium.
Scouting the Wildcats
Davidson has opened the 2025 season with a 2-1 record, most recently falling on the road to App State, 2-0. The Wildcats' wins have come over UNCG (2-1) and USC Upstate (3-0).
All five of the Wildcats' goals this season have come from five different players. Sophomore Sophia Whiddon leads the team in points with three (1 goal, 1 assist) and also paces the squad with eight shots. Whiddon is coming off a standout freshman campaign in which she earned A-10 All-Rookie honors after leading Davidson with five assists.
The Wildcats are led by third-year head coach Riley Piechnick, who guided the program to an A10 quarterfinal appearance in 2024. Davidson finished last season 8-8-3 overall.
Welcome Home, Coach Higgins
NC State McMurray Family Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan named Higgins the sixth head coach in program history in December 2024. Higgins arrived in Raleigh after three seasons at East Carolina, where he guided the Pirates to a historic 2024 campaign that included a 10-4-7 record, an American Athletic Conference title, and the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
Prior to his time at ECU, Higgins coached at his alma mater, Lenoir Rhyne, leading the Bears to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. The former standout player brings more than a decade of coaching experience and a proven track record of building winning programs.
Higgins' first year with the Wolfpack features an entirely new coaching staff. Associate head coach Joanna Fennema, a former North Carolina standout, led Lenoir Rhyne to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Assistants David Rodriguez (NC Courage Academy) and Juan Basabe (Lenoir Rhyne) also join the staff, each bringing valuable collegiate and club-level experience.
Breaking Down the Roster
NC State opens 2025 with a 25-player roster featuring 14 returners and 11 newcomers, including five transfers, four freshmen and two sophomores. By class, the Pack have five seniors (one redshirt), nine juniors (one redshirt), seven sophomores and four freshmen.
The team returns its 2024 leaders in goals and points, Jade Bordeleau, and assists leader, Mana Nakata. Five starters from last season are back: Nakata (18 starts), Olivia Pratapas (17), Yuna Aoki (14), Alex Mohr (12) and Bordeleau (11).
Three transfers arrive from programs led by current staff including Mackenzie Smith and Erica Roberts from ECU and Lilly Soltz from Lenoir Rhyne.
Up Next
NC State returns home to Dail Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 27, to host Western Carolina at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on ACCNX.
Players Mentioned
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