WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina State University

N.C. State stuns BC, advances to ACC soccer final

Nov 13, 2009

Cary, N.C. — Seventh-seeded N.C. State scored an early goal and withstood a late charge by Boston College to blank the third-seeded Eagles, 1-0, Friday night in the ACC Men’s Soccer Championship semifinals at WakeMed Soccer Park. The Wolfpack became the first No. 7 seed to advance to the championship game since Virginia did so in 1999.

N.C. State (13-5-2) got on the board at the 6:33 mark when forward Ronnie Bouemboue’s header found the back of the net off an Alan Sanchez corner kick. The teams then locked in a scoreless battle the rest of the way.

Boston College (12-8-0), which out-shot State 16-11, had chances to pull even late in the game. The Eagles recorded three shots in the final three minutes, but two just missed and NC State goalkeeper Christopher Widman grabbed one of his two saves on a shot from seven yards out by midfielder Kyle Bekker. The Wolfpack advanced to the championship game for the first time since 1990, when State defeated Virginia to win its only ACC Championship.

The 15th-ranked Wolfpack will face fifth-seeded Virginia in the ACC Championship Game Sunday at 1 p.m.