RALEIGH, N.C. -- Longwood University dropped a 3-2 season-opening women’s soccer decision at North Carolina State of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sunday night in Raleigh.  Jackie Stengel scored the game-winning goal for the Wolfpack (2-0) with just 44-seconds remaining.  Freshman Amanda Spencer/Gibsonia, Pennsylvania scored two goals for the visiting Lancers (0-1).  Longwood will host Howard University in its first home match of the season on Tuesday, August 27 at 7 p.m. at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.
    
Longwood and NC State battled scoreless through the first 45 minutes, deadlocked at the intermission, 0-0.  The Wolfpack got on the board first with a goal by Jessica Baity in the 64th minute, assisted by Kasey Koballa.  The Lancers answered with a game-tying goal by Spencer -- the first of her college career -- in the 70th minute on a loose ball putback, assisted by freshman Gina D’Orazio/Moseley.  NCSU went ahead 2-1 with a goal by Shelli Spamer in the 79 minute, a PK earned via a foul in the box by the visitors.  Longwood, however, responded again as Spencer tallied her second (collegiate) goal in the 81st minute, unassisted, on a shot from the top of the box that deflected off a defender to tie it again at 2-2.  The Wolfpack avoided overtime when Stengel scored in the 90th minute on a header in the box off a cross in from Jennie Krauser.
    
“I love what our team did tonight and I feel like we deserved better,” said 20th-year head coach Todd Dyer ‘93.  “We know what we’re capable of now and we’re motivated to find that little something extra to win tight games like this in the future.  NC State deserves credit for finding a way to score some big goals when they needed it most.  In the end, it was an exciting game for both teams to be a part of, and a good way to kickoff the new season.”
    
North Carolina State and Longwood each had 12 shots, though the Wolfpack had a slight 8-7 edge in attempts on goal, while it was a 9-3 advantage on corner kicks for the hosts.  Stengel had four shots, two on goal, and Baity had three shots, all on goal, for NCSU, while Karly Gustafson played the duration in front of the net with five saves.
    
Spencer had four shots, three on goal, and junior Samantha Phillips/Chesapeake also had four shots, one on goal, for Longwood, while graduate keeper Shelby Hall/Purcellville also played the duration in front of the net for the Lancers with five saves.