David Opoku scored his third goal of the season and No. 8-ranked UCSB made it stand up for a 1-0 win over North Carolina State at the Duke Nike Classic on Sunday.
The Gauchos went 2-0 on their first road trip of the season and beat two ACC teams.
Opoku’s goal was a beautiful finish off a long ball from Tim Pontius. The sophomore striker hit a one-time volley past Wolfpack goalkeeper Fabian Otte in the 16th minute for his third goal of the season.
UCSB controlled the majority of play, outshooting N.C. State 17-11.
The Wolfpack made a push to equalize near the end of the game and got a shot on goal by Albadawi Nazmi. But Gaucho goalkeeper André Grandt made the save to earn his first shutout in Division 1 soccer.
Opoku and centerback Peter Schmetz were named the Offensive and Defensive MVPs of the tournament, and Grandt and midfielder Fifi Baiden were named to the All-Tournament Team.
UCSB comes home for a weekend of matches against teams from the Big East Conference. The Gauchos take on No. 10-ranked West Virginia on Friday night and play Villanova on Sunday
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