Wake Forest defeats Hokies, 1-0, in double overtime

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Virginia Tech men’s soccer team fell to host Wake Forest, 1-0 in double overtime, in an Atlantic Coast Conference match at Spry Stadium tonight. The Demon Deacons scored the game-winning goal with 18 seconds remaining in the second overtime period.

In the first period, Wake Forest took the first two shots of the match as Jared Watts forced the only save of the half out of sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Renfro at the 15:59 mark. Sophomore midfielder Beto Velazquez had the Hokies’ lone shot of the half in the 19th minute, which was blocked. Corners were even at three apiece in the first period.

The Demon Deacons turned up the offensive pressure in the second half, but Renfro was equal to the task, denying the three Wake Forest shot attempts that went on goal. He made saves off shots from Watts in the 64th minute, Andy Lubahn in the 69th minute and Ben Newnam in the 78th minute. The Deacs outcornered Tech, 5-1, in the second 45 minutes, but neither team could find the back of net, forcing the game into sudden death overtime.

In the first extra session, the Hokies (3-7-0, 1-3-0 ACC) and Deacs each registered two shots, with one going on frame for both squads. Lubahn was denied by Renfro in the 93rd minute, while freshman forward Will Witherspoon had his shot at 94:47 saved by Wake goalkeeper Michael Lisch. Sophomore forward Mikey Minutillo also fired a shot for Tech in the 99th minute, but his effort went high of goal.

Renfro made two more saves in the second overtime period, giving him seven on the night, before Wake Forest (5-4-1, 2-2-0 ACC) scored the game-winner at 109:42 when Watts headed in a free kick off assists from Newnam and Tolani Ibikunle.

With his seven saves tonight, Renfro now has 51 stops on the season.

The Hokies are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 8, when they travel to Newark, N.J., to play the New Jersey Institute of Technology for the first time in program history. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Tech then returns home on Tuesday, Oct. 11 when it hosts Campbell from Thompson Field at 7 p.m.