Women’s Soccer Falls in PKs to UCF in NCAA First Round

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State women’s soccer team fell in penalty kicks (1-1, 4-2 on PKs) to No. 20 UCF in the NCAA First Round on Sunday at Dail Soccer Stadium.
 
After 110 minutes and the score tied at 1-1, the Wolfpack (7-7-6) and Knights (9-2-6) entered a penalty shootout to settle the 1-1 draw. Goalkeeper Maria Echezarreta, who made six saves in Sunday’s match, saved the opening penalty try from UCF’s Ariel Young to give NC State an early advantage.
 
The Wolfpack then drilled its next two shots behind makes from graduate students Lulu Guttenberger and Jenna Butler to take a 2-1 lead. After Sanja Homann tied it at 2-2 on UCF’s third attempt, Knights’ goalkeeper Caroline DeLisle denied Mia Vaughan and Echezarreta from the penalty spot before Darya Rajaee sealed it for UCF with the Knights’ fourth penalty make of the shootout.
 
After scoreless first half, NC State jumped ahead in the 53^rd minute when Annika Wohner converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-0. A strike from Alexis Strickland hit the hand of a UCF player in the box, earning the Pack a penalty kick.
 
UCF then tied the match in the 72^nd minute on a penalty kick goal of its own. Freshman defender Taylor Chism was called for a foul in the box before Rajaee converted the penalty shot to knot the match at 1-1.
 
NC State fired three shots, including one on goal from Jaiden Thomas, over the final 18 minutes of the second half. The Pack then recorded a pair of shots on goal in the first overtime period to increase pressure on the Knights. In the 107^th minute, Echezarreta made a pair of diving saves to preserve the 1-1 tie before the contest was decided in penalty kicks.
 
The Wolfpack registered 20 shots, leading UCF 9-7 in shots on goal. Forwards Jameese Joseph and Leyah Hall-Robinson each tallied a team-high five shots apiece with Hall-Robinson firing three of her efforts on goal.
 
In their final matches as NC State players, Guttenberger and Butler combined to play 208 minutes and fire two shots, one on goal. The graduate defenders finish their NC State careers with a combined 181 career matches played, all of them starts.
 
Despite the loss, NC State earned an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season, advancing to at least the NCAA Second Round in five of…