North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
California
10/31/2026 2:26:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Entering its final contest of the regular season, the Wolfpack continues to pursue its ultimate goal of earning a berth in the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2022. NC State will also look to get back in the win column after dropping its last two matches on the road at then-No. 6 Duke and No. 13 Stanford.
A Win Would ...
- Mark Gary Higgins' 16th victory as head coach at NC State.
- Be the 418th win in program history.
- Be Higgins' 126th win in his coaching career.
- Mark the program's 3rd ever win over Cal.
- Mark NC State's 11th win of the season.
- Be the Pack's fourth ACC win of the season.
Last Time Out
NC State dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 13 Stanford on Thursday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. Mana Nakata scored the lone goal for the Wolfpack, but the Cardinal offense proved too much as the home side claimed all three points in ACC play.
Eleanor Klinger opened the scoring with 33 seconds remaining in the first half after goalkeeper Amor Leigh Martin Esteban recorded four saves to keep Stanford off the board for most of the opening frame. The Cardinal added goals from Lily Freer and Charlotte Kohler in the second half, while Nakata found the net in the 67th minute off an assist from Kennedy Eva-Buckner, marking her first collegiate point. Klinger added her second goal late in the match to secure the 4-1 victory.
Series History
Sunday's match will mark the fifth meeting between NC State and Cal, with both teams holding two wins in the all-time series. The teams have yet to play to a draw.
The teams last met in 2024, marking their first matchup as ACC opponents, with Cal earning a 3-1 win in Raleigh. Sunday's contest will be NC State's first trip to Cal since 1989.
Scouting the Golden Bears
Cal enters Sunday's match with a 4-7-5 overall record and a 1-5-2 mark in ACC play. The Golden Bears' lone conference win came against Boston College. Cal is coming off a narrow loss to No. 9 Notre Dame on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Cal is led by head coach Neil McGuire, who is in his 20th season with the program in 2026. He is the program's all-time wins leader with 210 career victories. McGuire has led the Bears to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 19 completed seasons in Berkeley, including a streak of 14 consecutive appearances from 2004-17, one of the longest in Division I soccer. Under his leadership, Cal has produced six All-Americans, 40 All-Region selections and 55 All-Conference honorees.
For the latest on NC State women's soccer, follow @PackWSoccer on social media.
