RALEIGH, N.C. - A miracle Wolfpack shot that trickled through the Cavalier goal with no time left on the clock broke a one-all tie and gave N.C. State (4-2-2, 1-1-1 ACC) a shocking 2-1 upset victory over the stunned and depleted No. 13 Virginia men's soccer team (6-3-1, 1-2-1).
With the announcer counting down the final seconds and both sides milling around on the field awaiting the anticipated overtime period, the Wolfpack gained possession of the ball on their side of the pitch. The ball was sent to the midfield by N.C. State's Damon Butler. It was headed harmlessly toward the sideline but was deflected off the referee's leg at midfield into the center of the field. N.C. State forward Nick Olivencia, running the whole way on the play, took the ball, beat Virginia's Marshall Leonard to the 18-yard box and launched the winning shot past Cav keeper Kyle Singer.
"I saw Damon get it, and I just ran into space," Olivencia said. "The defenders overcommitted, so it was just a matter of beating the clock."
The unbelievable goal capped off a game that saw one unlikely happening after another.
The poor field at Method Road Stadium caused mishaps and injuries for both sides, and the rain that poured down in the beginning of the second half only compounded the problems.
The Wolfpack's attacking offensive style cost them several offsides calls but paid dividends when an apparently offsides forward scored the first N.C. State goal without a call.
The slippery playing surface and the physical play took several Virginia players out of action. Forward Rob Wright sustained a sprained right ankle late in the first half that ended his day while Mike Feller returned to the game after suffering a knee injury.
Both teams played physical games, compiling 38 total fouls, and the rough play erupted into small brawls on multiple occasions.
In one instance, Singer was kicked in the face by Wolfpack forward Matt Tabor as the first-year keeper was sliding to corral a shot. The play caused tempers to flare on both sides and prompted an impassioned pep talk from Virginia coach George Gelnovatch to his players.
The most significant loss for the Cavaliers, though, came in the 59th minute when first-year midfielder Kyle Martino tackled Wolfpack forward Sebastion Rodriguez from behind. The referee said the move was malicious and red-carded Martino, leaving the Cavs one man down for the remainder of the half. Martino will also miss Wednesday's contest against William & Mary because of his ejection.
"We didn't play as well as we should have," Leonard said. "It hurt us when we were playing with 10 men, and they scored on two counterattacks. It was the only thing they did out there, but they did it well."
The lone Virginia goal was scored by first-year forward Ryan Gibbs off a long assist from midfield by Martino in the 51st minute; that goal gave Gibbs his sixth in six games.
"I felt it was a hard-fought game," forward Sheldon Barnes said. "We had some unlikely goals scored against us. The ref missed a couple of calls that he should have made. The red card he gave was inconsistent. That foul wasn't nearly as bad as some of things that went on earlier in the game."
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