Virginia Tech men's soccer blows out VMI
Juan Pablo Saavedra (26), searches for an open pass to a ready teammate, who is being chased down by Sam Moffatt (2), Oct. 4, 2016.
Billy Clarke / Collegiate Times
The No. 18 Virginia Tech men’s soccer team defeated VMI 7–1 Tuesday. In their first game at Thompson Field since their loss to Clemson Sept. 23, the Hokies put on a display of offense against a VMI team that has yet to win a game this season.
Virginia Tech wasted little time scoring. Junior Marcelo Acuna pulled left, stepped back and drilled the back of the net just nine minutes into the game. VMI quickly answered off a corner kick, scoring in the 12th minute.
Acuna kept attacking and scored just four minutes later, this time off the cross-field assist from Gino Rossi, giving the Hokies a 2–1 lead. The Hokies continued to connect on their shots. Acuna netted his third goal of the first half, earning the first Virginia Tech hat trick of the season. He scored in the 26th minute, again off the Rossi assist.
“The guys brought what they needed to,” said head coach Mike Brizendine. “They finished their chances. It takes the pressure off you when you score a lot of goals and you’re up by two or three goals.”
The Hokies kept scoring as both Alessandro Mion and James Kasak scored before halftime to make it 5–1. The game was quickly out of reach for a struggling VMI team.
Virginia Tech turned to many bench players in the second half. The team had played many reserves during its loss to Clemson, but the lack of experience was evident and the Hokies dropped a conference game. However, against VMI, the non-starters stepped up when redshirt-sophomore Drew Ott came onto the pitch.
Ott scored his first and second goals of the season in the game, with the second coming off a pass from Collin Verfurth that cut through many players inside near the box.
“We were able to play a lot of young guys tonight, and I was happy to see that,” Brizendine said. “It was especially good for Drew. He has been battling injuries, and I was happy to see him score.”
Ott’s goals would be the final points of the game, as Virginia Tech capped off the 7–1 victory.
The win brings the Hokies to 8–2–1 on the season. This is the first season Virginia Tech has more than seven wins in a season since 2007–2008, in which the team finished ranked eighth in the nation and lost to Wake Forest in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament.
While this is a good step, Brizendine wants more.
“It’s a stepping stone, but we are so far from where our goals are. I’m not trying to downplay it; I’m grateful, but we’re halfway through our season. I have a lot more plans,” Brizendine said. “There is so much on the line within the ACC and NCAA. We got to keep winning.”
Virginia Tech will look to stay hot as it welcomes ACC-foe Duke to Thompson Field, Friday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m.