Saint Lucian striker Donavan “Gusto” Phillip continued his fine form with a hat-trick in the second game of his junior season for the North Carolina State men’s soccer team. The 6’2″ 190-lb forward already has four goals in just two games for the Wolfpack.
On Sunday evening, 14th-ranked NC State welcomed Wofford’s Terriers to Dail Soccer Field in Raleigh. They ran out to a 6-0 win after leading 5-0 at halftime. This was the fourth win for NC State in four meetings with Wofford since 2009. They last met in 2022.
The ‘Pack got the opening goal through Tyler Caton in the 19th minute, his first in red and white. Phillip doubled the lead in the 24th minute, with a slick turn and a powerful shot just inside the box. Caton turned provider for Phillip’s second goal, a towering header from the right side off a well-hit corner kick.
The man from Marchand made it 3-0 when he completed his hat-trick in the 29th minute, finishing off a lovely move that included a brilliant cut-back. That pass gave the rampant Phillip a clear look at the lower left side of the goal.
Max Ogawa continued the rout in the 33rd minute, and an own goal in the 56th minute finished things off.
Phillip had previously scored in the Wolfpack’s 2-0 season opener over Queens (NC). He comes into his collegiate season fresh off a fantastic run of summer football with the Flint City Bucks in the United States Soccer League’s USL 2. With 12 regular-season goals, a share of the Golden Boot award, four game-winning goals, and nine assists, he was last week named USL2 Player of the Year.
