N.C. State set to face Boston College in must-win match for both sides

Through the first six games of the season, it seemed there would be nothing stopping the red-hot N.C. State Wolfpack.

Nazmi Albadawi and Alex Martinez were putting up numbers at alarming rates, the team was winning on the road and the defense had conceded a total of only three goals. However, since then the Wolfpack have been on a downward spiral which began with a 3-2 loss to Maryland in the conference opener on Sept. 14. They would go on to lose two more matches after that, including a bad loss to a one-win team in Clemson.

N.C. State players in Boston (Via Nazmi Albadawi).

N.C. State rebounded well on Tuesday, blanking Gardner Webb 2-0 at home, but tonight against Boston College the Wolfpack will be in dire need of a win as they try to avoid falling to 0-3 in the conference.

It’s rare for any 7-3 team to be involved in a “must win” match, but in this case the saying rings true. N.C. State is a team notorious for being bad on the road, having gone almost two full seasons without winning an away match before this year, and if they are unable to get it done in Boston tonight they will be in a big hole at the bottom of the ACC.

Boston College (4-3-1) enters the match on an impressive two game win streak, but is also still in search of its first conference win. The Eagles were  trounced 4-0 by Maryland in their conference opener, and drew 1-1 with Virginia Tech in their only other ACC match.

There will be major pressure on both sides tonight in Boston as the Eagles and Wolfpack try to pry themselves out of the bottom of the conference standings. Both teams have a good deal of talent as well as postseason aspirations, and if they want to make it to Germantown for the final rounds of the ACC Tournament, each will have to begin to find ways to win games within the league.