Pirates Host NC State for Sunday Night Affair

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina soccer team hosts a thriller on Sunday as they welcome the NC State Wolfpack to Bill Clark Homes Field at Johnson Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The game is free to attend for fans and for those who cannot make it out, Zach Berly and Brianna Pinro will have the call on ESPN+.

The contest will mark the Pirates’ annual PGSA Night with a scarf giveaway for the first 250 fans and an autograph session with the team following the game.

 

What’s at Stake

The Pirates will be looking to bounce back from a season-opening loss against Liberty on Thursday afternoon. The team fell by a 3-1 margin with Isabella Gutiérrez scoring the game’s lone goal. It was the program’s first game with head coach Emily Buccilla at the helm. The first female head coach in program history, Buccilla took the reins of a very different looking team with only one player returning having started 10-or-more games a season ago and just five who started five-or-more. A victory on Sunday would not only give Buccilla her first career win, but a signature win to boot, and keep bragging rights in Greenville for a rivalry renewed in dramatic fashion a season ago.

Scouting NC State

The Wolfpack fell to James Madison by a 3-0 margin in their first contest with first-year head coach Gary Higgins at the helm. The team will be looking to rebound from a 4-10-2 campaign a season ago in which the team only mustered 16 total goals on the season. They do return one of their more impressive performers from a season ago with Olivia Pratapas back in goal after contributing a .757 save percentage in 2024.

Series History

The rivalry between the in-state foes reached a fever pitch a season ago when the Pirates went into Raleigh and stunned the Wolfpack. Abby Sowa scored the game’s lone goal in the first half to silence a raucous two-thousand-person crowd at Dail Soccer Field. Maeve English made three saves in goal in the shutout victory.

A Long Road Home

Holly Schlagel and Molly Thomas returned to the pitch at long last on Thursday. Due to a litany of injuries, the pair had not seen game action in 1,057 and 679 days, respectively.

Watch List

Caitlen-Star Dolan Boodram, Gutiérrez and Viera were named to the American Conference Preseason Watch List as the Pirate players to watch for conference honors this season.

 

The Expectations Game       

The Pirates have been chosen fourth in the American Conference preseason poll, having garnered one first-place vote (Memphis and South Florida earned the remaining 10). The Pirates were chosen third a season ago before winning the American Tournament Championship.

 

Newcomers to Watch             

The Pirates have a great group of new players for fans to know going into the season. Notable names include transfer Olivia Dietrich in goal, freshman Gia Spinetti on the back line, transfer AJ Mayock in the midfield, transfer Alyssa Tucker and rookie Izzy O’Connor in the forwards group.

 

International Duty    

A couple of Pirates were involved with international play over the offseason. Guitiérrez was called up to team camp with the Mexican National Team in the spring and Viera played with the Uruguayan National Team in Copa América Femenina, helping the side to an historic run into the semifinals where they lost to eventual champion, Brazil. In the third-place game against Argentina, Viera assisted on a goal before scoring her first ever goal in international play. Uruguay unfortunately went on to drop the game on PKs, but concluded the tournament with historic success nonetheless.

 

Summer Play                 

The following Pirates played in summer leagues over the break: McKayla Wetsel (Wake FC, USLW), Alyssa Tucker (Wake FC, USLW), Lily Ridge (Wake FC, USLW), Isabella Gutiérrez (Wake FC, USLW), Sydney Cox (Wake FC, USLW), Kyleen Bents (Wake FC, USLW), Emma Sheehan (Asheville City, USLW), Juliana Viera (Asheville City, USLW), Molly Thomas (Reading United AC, WPSL), Kayce Taylor (WFC, WPSL), Sofia Serrano (Las Vegas Ballers, WPSL), AJ Mayock (Peoria City Soccer, WPSL), Olivia Dietrich (Norco Rain FC, WPSL), Caitlen-Star Dolan Boodram (Haringey Borough, London Eastern South), Lexi McGinnis (Racing Power FCUSA, UWS).

 

Home Sweet Home 

The Pirates play their home contests in one of the most beautiful soccer facilities in Division I in Johnson Stadium. Recently outfitted with a new scoreboard and state-of-the-art LED lighting, the venue is a great place to watch a game whether it’s an early season matinee or a conference thriller under the lights. Pirate Nation has played their part of late, too. Five of the top 10 attended games in program history have come since head coach Emily Buccilla arrived in Greenville with three coming in just the past three seasons, including the all-time record of 1,335 attendees when the Pirates hosted then-No. 2 Duke in 2022.