Dec 15, 2025
3 min read
Four years ago, Uw men's soccer fell short of the competition.On Monday, the Husks have a chance to make a comeback against NC State.
The disappointment was palpable through the TV screen.
Charlie Kosakoff has not yet committed to the University of Washington, but the men's soccer team's participation in the 2021 NCAA College Cup has created nationwide excitement.Before the junior watched from his home in California as the game ended with a breather, the Huskies fell 2-0 in the title game at Clemson.
When signing, this UW 2021 team was Kosakoff's test.On Monday, he wants to help the Huskies (155-6-2) create a better finish.
Unseeded UW, NC will receive the No. 15 seed in the North (16-24) for the College Cup championship in a horizontal bracket.Louis 2-1 on Friday in the first installment of its programs "lost.
Kosakoff said of the 2021 tournament loss, "they talked about it a lot: being there, what it means and the experience."The most important thing for this team is to win. They also have a good team and, in a way, if we win this, it's the end of the work we started."
Four years ago, Washington had to contend for the championship. This time, overlooked UW broke through the bracket, beating top-ranked programs on the road, fourth-seeded Maryland (3-1) in the quarterfinals, and in Friday's semifinal, the No. 1 seed scored six goals in its last two wins against 16th-seeded Furman (3-1).
UKES has scored 51 goals this season, a program long since Jamie Clark was coach in 2011.
Although he has to click again and play clearly from the period of the game long three losses, Clark is preparing for the game on Monday.NC State is on every side with veteran players and a strong attack.
The Wolfpack is led by younger forward Donavan Phillip, who has 18 goals leading the NCAA this season.Senior midfielder Taig Healy has shone during the tournament, scoring three of four goals in the last three games and adding eight helpers this year.
"I'm going to be a little busy next game," said UW goalie Jadan Bouton, who faced two shots on goal and gave up one against Furman."But I'm not worried about my defense, the guys in front of me can handle it."
Clarke added that the match will showcase boxing talent.
"They do a lot of service in the box and that's Jadon's expertise," Clark said."We say he is the best goalkeeper in the air in the country and will have to be because (NC State) is a service of two types of large forwards team."
Bouton is the only player on the current roster to make the 2021 squad, although he did not play a minute.According to him, the big difference is that this season's team had to dig deep to get results and overcome tough losses.
And the 2021 Huskies were the favorite, but that didn't show up in the stands against Clemson.Monday will be the same, considering NC State's home field is about a 10-minute drive from Cary.
The Wolfpack's semifinal game drew 10,945, the largest College Cup attendance since 2012 and a tournament record in Cary.Most wore NC State gear.
However, the size of the crowd may not worry UW after its victory in Maryland.Terrapins fans investigated the Huskies, providing players' family members' phone numbers, home addresses and teasing posts on social media.
"It's going to be great to have the stands full," Bowton said of the atmosphere Monday.It will be the first meeting between the schools."Hopefully they're nicer than the Maryland fans ... but we feel good, we feel confident."
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