North Carolina State men’s football forward Donavan Gusto Phillip was on target on Monday night, December 16, but in a losing cause. The Wolfpack fell 3-2 to Washington in the NCAA Division I championship game at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The College Cup was played in cool conditions, just 25 degrees, and the fixture went down to the wire, with the Huskies getting their game-winning goal just 1:54 into the golden goal overtime period.
Unseeded Washington had opened up a 2-0 advantage before Phillip, the towering striker from Castries, found the back of the net with an acrobatic effort in the 66th minute. It was his 19th goal, the most by any player in Division I this year, fifth-most in school history, and most for the Pack in a season since 1982.
NC State had only been down at halftime three times this season, and they failed to win each time. But senior midfielder Taig Healy gave them hope when he levelled the score at 2-2 in the 87th minute.
Phillip, who scored four goals in the NCAA Tournament, came in with five game-winning goals in 21 games. This time, however, he was unable to find the winner. Rather, a golden goal from Harrison Bertos clinched the maiden title for the Huskies with a shot inside the box.
After the game, Phillip spoke about his future. He has one year of eligibility at NC State, but was also selected by Colorado in last year’s Major League Soccer SuperDraft. It’s uncertain whether he would be able to return to the SuperDraft this year, but if he does, he is sure to go much higher than the 62nd pick, as he did in 2024. For now, it sounds as if the former Saint Lucia youth international is leaning towards returning to NC State with coach Marc Hubbard.
“I have one more year,” said Phillip. “I’m really feeling for those seniors and those guys that ended a little short. But they know they’re gonna leave the programme in a better place. I feel like there’s only up from here.”
