NC State men's soccer advances to College Cup for first time since 1990

Ever since Marc Hubbard took over at the helm of NC State’s men’s soccer, he has changed the trajectory of the program.

First, he took the Wolfpack to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1992 in his inaugural campaign in Raleigh last fall. Now, he’s outdone himself again as the 15th-seeded Pack beat seventh-seed Georgetown 3-2 on the road at Shaw Field in the Elite Eight on Saturday afternoon, punching its ticket to the College Cup for the first time since 1990.

NC State joins Furman, Saint Louis and Washington as the last four teams standing in the NCAA Tournament. The College Cup, which is soccer’s version of the Final Four, is set to open Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

The Wolfpack, which didn’t allow a single goal in its first two wins in the NCAA Tournament, battled in a high-scoring affair with the Hoyas. NC State took an early 2-0 lead behind tallies from by Taig Healy and Drew Lovelace in the opening eight minutes, but Georgetown responded with one of its own in the 35th minute.

Although Wolfpack goalkeeper Logan Erb conceded his first two goals of the tournament, Carlos Santamaria’s penalty kick in the 36th minute was the difference to propel NC State into the final weekend of the postseason.

The Pack, which hadn’t advanced past the second round of the NCAA Tournament in past 30 years when Hubbard arrived on campus, is now two wins away from claiming the program’s first-ever national championship.

Up first? A date with Saint Louis, a 10-time national-championship winning program, on Friday night.

NC State’s path to College Cup

Round of 64: Bye
Round of 32: W vs. Marshall, 2-0 (Phillip, Moloney)
Round of 16: W vs. UNC Greensboro, 2-0 (Healy, Phillip)
Round of 8: W at Georgetown, 3-2 (Healy, Lovelace, Santamaria)
Semifinal: vs. Saint Louis on Dec. 12
National Championship: Winner vs. Furman/Washington on Dec. 15