FARMVILLE, Va. – A diverse, deep offense powered N.C. State men's soccer past Longwood 6-2 in a non-conference tilt on Tuesday night.
 
The sheer depth on display by the ACC's Wolfpack (5-3-1) proved to be overwhelming, with the six goals scored by six different players. Junior forward Ivy Brisma and freshman midfielder Noe Cabezas led the charge as each had a goal and two assists. The duo did their damage as part of a five-goal second half the flipped the match on its head and gave N.C. State its highest goal total this season.
 
The scoring barrage came as N.C. State amped up the pressure and the level of play after Longwood (2-5-1) had managed to head into the locker room within striking distance, down 1-0 following a cross from Bazini that Kuda Muskwe headed home.
 
"You're going against a caliber team, and we know that," said Longwood head coach Jon Atkinson. "That's why we put these teams, these games, on the midweek, to help us sharpen our sword a little bit. It's an example to us. We don't want to be on the receiving end of that scoreline. But if anything that we learn from that is to serve us going further forward is just what we've talked about. We've got to be better. And we can be better."
 
Brisma and Cabezas were the ones who set the tempo in the final 45 minutes, doing his damage in the first 15 minutes of the second half. In that span, the two wreaked havoc by forcing or capitalizing on a handful of turnovers that led to scoring opportunities. Brisma headed home a goal off a pass from Luke Hille and Cabezas. Brisma then did set up Hille and Cabezas for their goals.
 
His energy helped offset Longwood's first goal off the foot of Markus Gronli. Gronli slotted home a penalty kick in the 52^nd minute, just 36 seconds after Brisma's goal. However, Brisma found Hille less than 90 seconds later to re-establish the two-goal lead.
 
"We left a little bit on the field tonight, and that's not acceptable," Atkinson said. "We need to give 100% regardless of the scoreline and go through the tape. We just felt a little bit hesitant in moments. I understand, you're up against high caliber competition, but that's really no excuse. Here we're trying to play at a higher level, of which we can. And when we do so, we can compete with these teams, mano a mano.

"Going in one-nil at halftime, I felt that we didn't play very well, but it was still only one-nil. The next goal is the one that breaks the game open, and they got it. Luckily we responded with a penalty kick, and we thought that might be the energy needed to go and do a little upset. Unfortunately, we kind of kept a plateau level of energy and communication, and they stepped it up. And that's what good teams do."
 
For Longwood, Tosin Ayokunle smashed home his first goal of the season in the 89^th minute off a feed from Luis Ortner. The Lancers totaled
 
"The important thing for tonight is to learn more poise in that hole," Atkinson said. "It's not about individual talent. We have talent. It's just got to be stitched together with the glue that allow us to perform at the level which might get us a result against a top team like this and also stand us in good stead for the Big South conference."
 
The Lancers dive back into Big South play with a trip to USC Upstate this Saturday at 2 p.m. before returning home for back-to-back matches against Winthrop (Wednesday, Oct. 6) and High Point (Saturday, Oct. 9).
 
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