UNC, N.C. State, Duke make NCAA soccer field

Soccer

UNC, N.C. State, Duke make NCAA soccer field

Nov 16, 2009

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The N.C. State men’s soccer team has earned an at-large bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament as announced by the NCAA Monday evening. North Carolina is the No. 5 seed and Duke is also in the field.

The Wolfpack (13-6-2) earned the No. 15 overall seed in the tournament, and received a first-round bye.

N.C. State will host the winner of New Mexico (12-6-1) and Portland (10-5-5) who face off this Thursday at New Mexico. The Pack will host its second round game Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Dail Soccer Field.

The NCAA Tournament consists of 48 teams, with the top-16 teams seeded and those teams each receiving a first round bye. The teams will be vying for the right to compete at the 2009 College Cup, being held this year at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary December 11 and 13.

The Wolfpack will be making its third NCAA appearance in seven seasons, and the 13th overall. In recent NCAA Tournament action, the Pack fell in the first round at Old Dominion in 2003, and fell in the second round to Clemson in 2005 in Raleigh.

N.C. State is coming off of an ACC Championship game appearance this past weekend at WakeMed Soccer Park. The Pack advanced past then-No. 2 North Carolina on penalty kicks, 4-1, and turned around to defeat Boston College in the semifinals, 1-0. In the championship game on Sunday, NC State fell to then-No. 6 Virginia, 1-0.

In the national polls today, N.C. State moved up to No. 13 on CollegeSoccerNews.com and No. 17 in Soccer America.

Seven of the nine teams from the ACC earned a bid this season, with four squads earning a first round bye. Virginia is the No. 2 overall seed, Wake Forest is the No. 3 seed and North Carolina (13-2-3) is the No. 5 seed.

The ACC’s Boston College and Maryland each also earned a spot in the 48-team field.