Walking up the steps to Shaw Field Saturday afternoon, the anticipation in the air was palpable. Even with inclement weather on Friday postponing the game, it was obvious fans were undeterred and determined to cheer on the Hoyas (14-4-4, 6-1-2 BIG EAST). With the stands packed to the brim, pep band in place, and Hoya Blue holding it down behind the goal, the game kicked off.
Fans didn’t have to wait long for the action to begin, with a shot on goal by NC State’s (15-2-4, 5-1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) sixth-year forward Ibrahim Conde within three minutes of the kickoff. This shot was only a hint of the physicality that NC State would bring to the game.
The NC State Wolfpack was quickly rewarded for their offensive efforts with a goal in the sixth minute. Senior midfielder Taig Healy had four Hoyas in front of him, yet, with a well-placed shot, he managed to find the goal’s back right corner.
Georgetown’s luck would only get worse from there when, two minutes later, a Hoya defender deflected a ball away from the goal off of his forearm. VAR ruled a Hoya handball, allowing for a NC State penalty kick. Senior midfielder Drew Lovelace’s shot elicited a diving block from Hoya senior keeper Tenzing Manske. However, in the blink of an eye, what looked like a dream save turned into a nightmare, as the ball rebounded off of Manske’s arm. With no Hoya defenders in the vicinity, Manske’s quick reflexes were not enough to save a second shot, and the score became 2-0 NC State.
Despite these early setbacks, the Hoyas persevered, driving down the field for two attempted shots on goal within seconds of each other in the eleventh and twelfth minutes. NC State responded with two shots of their own four minutes later. This back and forth exchange was marked by good chances for both teams, raising tensions higher and higher. It seemed like only a matter of time before one team would break through.
With eleven minutes left in the half, it was the Hoyas who surged forward. Sophomore midfielder David Urrutia made a pass intended for junior midfielder Matthew Helfrich, who went up for the header. The ball rebounded to the top of the box, where first year midfielder Loukas Maroutsis capitalized. With a shot punched into the left side of the goal, Maroutis brought the score to 2-1 and banked his third goal of the season.
Unfortunately, Hoya fans would not be happy for long. Two minutes later, in a cruel case of deja vu, a possible handball in the box while the Hoya defense tried to protect their goal had the referee signaling for VAR review. NC State was granted a penalty kick for a second Hoya handball. Though Manske made a valiant effort with a diving save, sixth-year midfielder Carlos Santamaria was able to score a low shot into the left side of the goal. This marked the first time Georgetown had conceded more than two goals in a single game within the 2025 season.
Regardless, the Hoyas were determined to make the most of the time remaining in the half. NC State’s midfielder Healy fouled Georgetown midfielder Zach Zengue in the thirty-sixth minute. Zengue took the resulting free kick and the ball soared over the heads of the Wolfpack defense in a precisely placed arc. Sophomore defender Tate Lampman didn’t hesitate to take advantage, and a powerful header sent the ball past the outstretched hands of Wolfpack senior goalkeeper Logan Erb for Lampman’s second goal of the season.
The epic of the first half came to a close with a score of 3-2 NC State, a tantalizingly close lead for the Hoyas to attempt to dismantle with an entire half remaining. As the sun set and temperatures dropped, both teams retook the field for a guaranteed fight to the end.
It felt like NC State’s halftime had been used more productively than Georgetown’s, as Wolfpack forward Conde had three shots on goal within the first twelve minutes of the second half. The Hoyas took zero. The Hoyas responded with substitutions in the sixtieth minute which seemed to increase their offensive capabilities. Hoya sophomore forward Mitchell Baker and first year midfielder Maroustis each took shots on goal that were unsuccessful, separated by an unsuccessful NC State shot by senior midfielder Healy. After a Wolfpack yellow card on junior midfielder Tyler Caton, Zengue would have the next chance with a free kick, which went wide to the left.
With twenty-one minutes left in the half, the next moves by both teams would be crucial to the outcome of the game. NC State keeper Erb had a close call at 20 minutes remaining, narrowly gaining control of a ball shot by the Hoyas’ Maroustis. Fans gasped as the Hoyas followed it up with a header from Baker in the seventy-sixth minute that bounced off the right post.
An injury timeout for NC State with ten minutes remaining in the half seemed to be the final blow to the Hoya momentum. When play resumed, the Wolfpack was dominant in control over the ball, able to trap the Hoyas in the top left corner of the NC State half for over two minutes. Spurred on by encouragement from the Hoya bench, fans rose to their feet for the last five minutes of play, hoping for a miracle.
Another injury timeout at four minutes gave both teams time to recalibrate. From there, while Georgetown had some chances, a critical foul at two minutes and forty seconds meant the ball was back under NC State control. The Hoyas were able to get it back with two minutes left, however, a yellow card for Hoya junior midfielder Eric Howard allowed precious time to run off.
With just three seconds left, the Hoyas were given one last opportunity to score when a yellow card was given to NC State. The whistle blew after a confusing moment where time was added to the clock, and then taken away. The Hoyas had one last chance. Sophomore midfielder David Urrutia took the free kick, and while Georgetown tried to head it in, they were ultimately unsuccessful.
The final score was 3-2 NC State, sending the Wolfpack to the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 1990 to face Saint Louis University (13-2-8, 5-0-3 Athletic 10 Conference) in the semifinal on Dec. 12. While handball penalties raise questions about if the outcome could’ve been different, it’s important to remember that this is the first quarterfinal appearance in four years for Georgetown, a big milestone for the team. Congratulations to the Hoyas on a hard fought game and successful season, and best of luck to NC State as they pack their bags for Cary, North Carolina.
