BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Campbell faces its second-straight ACC foe on the road as the Camels travel to NC State Thursday, Aug. 18. Kickoff from Dail Soccer Field in Raleigh is set for 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
LAST TIME OUT: Jessica Donald netted an early goal at No. 25 Clemson but Campbell ultimately fell 5-1. Donald put the Camels on the board in the 3rd minute as Donald dribbled into the box and crossed to an oncoming Jackie Richards. Richards' shot hit the left post and began spinning along the goal line where Donald ran and tapped it in. Renee Lyles added the equalizer goal a minute later and then gave the Tigers the lead in the 17th minute. Clemson added three more goals in the second half.
SERIES HISTORY: Campbell faces NC State for a third straight season and 17th meeting overall. Last season the Camels battled to a 1-1 (2 OT) draw against the Wolfpack. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half, Elyssa Nowowieski netted the equalizer in the 53rd minute, assisted by Hayley Krahenbil. NC State held a 16-12 advantage on shots including a narrow 5-4 edge in shots on goal.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: NC State owns a 2-0 record the season after defeating Rhode Island 4-0 and VCU 2-1. The Wolfpack entered the season off a 9-9-2 season last year highlighted by making the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Forward and All-Region first team selection Jameese Joseph returns for the Wolfpack as their leading returning goal scorer after netting nine goals and 20 points last year. NC State is led by 10th year head coach Tim Santoro who owns a 78-82-17 record all time.
WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE: The Fighting Camels return nine starters and 70% of its seventh-ranked scoring offense from last season. Campbell welcomes back four of its top five point scorers from 2021 inlcuding Jessica Donald (9 goals, 8 assists), Jackie Richards (7 goals, 7 assists), Elyssa Nowowieski (6 goals, 3 assists) and Reagan Baiotto (5 goals, 4 assists). Last season's backline, which helped earned five shutouts, of Delaney Baumbick, Cazzi Norgren, Laney Peabody and Mary Tierney all return as well. Overall more than half of the team is made up of upperclassmen including 12 seniors and four juniors.
PRESEASON HONORS: Jessica Donald and Delaney Baumbick both earned Big South preseason honors after being named the conference's offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively. A two-time All-South region and Big South first team selection, Donald finished second among Big South leaders with a career-high 26 points (9 goals, 8 assists) in 18 games in 2021. Baumbick, a Big South second team selection in 2019 and all-tournament team honoree in 2020-21, started in 17 games last season. Her 1,534 minutes ranked fourth-most on the team as she helped the backline to five shutouts and the third-fewest goals (22) in the Big South last year.
BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL: 1. Campbell (7 first-place votes) - 97 points... 2. High Point (3) - 90... 3. Radford - 79... 4. Longwood - 72... 5. Gardner-Webb - 54... 6. Charleston Southern - 53... 7. UNC Asheville - 40... 8. Winthrop - 33... 9. USC Upstate - 20... 10. Presbyterian - 12
HEAD COACH JEFF GROSS (UMBC '93) is in his first season at Campbell and as a head coach. Gross spent the last eight seasons, including the last two as associate head coach, on the staff at UNC Greensboro. While at UNCG, Gross helped guide the Spartans to back-to-back Southern Conference championships and NCAA College Cup appearances in 2017 and 2018. Gross takes over a program that is coming off consecutive trips to the Big South Conference championship game as well as an appearance in the 2020-21 NCAA tournament.
