Thursday, September 4
Elon, NC
7 PM
NC State
at
Elon
Pack Set for Final Road Nonconference Match at Elon
9/3/2025 10:44:00 AM | Women's Soccer
ELON, N.C. – NC State women's soccer (0-5-1, 0-0-0 ACC) closes out its nonconference road slate on Thursday, Sept. 4, with a trip to Elon (4-0-1, 0-0-0 CAA). Kickoff against the Phoenix is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on FloCollege.
Last Time Out
NC State fell to Utah, 3-0, on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Ute Field. The Utes set the tone early with a pair of dangerous chances off the crossbar in the third and fifth minutes before breaking through in the 10th. Lilliah Blum put the hosts ahead with a left-footed strike past goalkeeper Emily Earles. Utah's pressure continued throughout the entire first 45 minutes, with the Utes outshooting the Pack, 12-2, in the first half. NC State's first scoring attempt came in the 25th minute when Erica Roberts attempted to play a cross towards the goal. Emily Wong then added the Pack's second shot of the half in the 35th with a saved header on a corner kick.
The Pack settled in after halftime, limiting the Utes to just four shot attempts in the first 25 minutes of the second frame. However, in the 73rd, Ali Swensen doubled the lead by redirecting a free kick into the net. Utah added its final tally five minutes later when Rylan Park curled a long-range effort into the top right corner. NC State generated five shots in the second half, including a close chance from Yuna Aoki that went just over the crossbar in the 77th, but the Wolfpack could not find a breakthrough.
A Win Would …
Thursday's match marks the 17th all-time meeting between NC State and Elon, with the Wolfpack holding a perfect 16-0 record in the series. The teams last met in 2022, when NC State earned a 2-1 win at Rudd Field. Both Pack goals came on corner kicks, including the game-winner in the 78th minute.
Scouting the Phoenix
Elon enters Thursday's matchup unbeaten at 4-0-1, riding a four-game winning streak after opening the season with a 1-1 draw at VCU. The Phoenix have posted shutouts in each of their four wins, allowing just one goal across their first five games.
Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Bisgrove anchors the defense with 19 saves and a 0.20 goals-against average. Bisgrove has already earned CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season and is the first Elon keeper to record four straight shutouts since McKenna Dalfonso in the 2021 spring campaign.
On the attack, Isa Murdock and Grace Gelhaus pace the Phoenix with two goals apiece. Murdock leads the team with six points (two goals, two assists) and is coming off a 2024 season in which she finished as Elon's leading scorer with five goals.
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 Roberts from ECU and Lilly Soltz from Lenoir Rhyne.
Up Next
NC State concludes its nonconference slate with a match against Campbell on Sunday, Sept. 7 at Dail Soccer Stadium. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. and will air on ACCNX.
Last Time Out
NC State fell to Utah, 3-0, on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Ute Field. The Utes set the tone early with a pair of dangerous chances off the crossbar in the third and fifth minutes before breaking through in the 10th. Lilliah Blum put the hosts ahead with a left-footed strike past goalkeeper Emily Earles. Utah's pressure continued throughout the entire first 45 minutes, with the Utes outshooting the Pack, 12-2, in the first half. NC State's first scoring attempt came in the 25th minute when Erica Roberts attempted to play a cross towards the goal. Emily Wong then added the Pack's second shot of the half in the 35th with a saved header on a corner kick.
The Pack settled in after halftime, limiting the Utes to just four shot attempts in the first 25 minutes of the second frame. However, in the 73rd, Ali Swensen doubled the lead by redirecting a free kick into the net. Utah added its final tally five minutes later when Rylan Park curled a long-range effort into the top right corner. NC State generated five shots in the second half, including a close chance from Yuna Aoki that went just over the crossbar in the 77th, but the Wolfpack could not find a breakthrough.
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 program's 17th all-time win over Elon.
- Be the first victory of the 2025 campaign for NC State.
Thursday's match marks the 17th all-time meeting between NC State and Elon, with the Wolfpack holding a perfect 16-0 record in the series. The teams last met in 2022, when NC State earned a 2-1 win at Rudd Field. Both Pack goals came on corner kicks, including the game-winner in the 78th minute.
Scouting the Phoenix
Elon enters Thursday's matchup unbeaten at 4-0-1, riding a four-game winning streak after opening the season with a 1-1 draw at VCU. The Phoenix have posted shutouts in each of their four wins, allowing just one goal across their first five games.
Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Bisgrove anchors the defense with 19 saves and a 0.20 goals-against average. Bisgrove has already earned CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season and is the first Elon keeper to record four straight shutouts since McKenna Dalfonso in the 2021 spring campaign.
On the attack, Isa Murdock and Grace Gelhaus pace the Phoenix with two goals apiece. Murdock leads the team with six points (two goals, two assists) and is coming off a 2024 season in which she finished as Elon's leading scorer with five goals.
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 Roberts from ECU and Lilly Soltz from Lenoir Rhyne.
Up Next
NC State concludes its nonconference slate with a match against Campbell on Sunday, Sept. 7 at Dail Soccer Stadium. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. and will air on ACCNX.
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