Hokie ClubDAVIDSON, N.C. – Despite a goal just 39 seconds into the match from sophomore Kai Marshall, the Virginia Tech men’s soccer team fell 2-1 in overtime to the Davidson Wildcats in the Hokies’ final nonconference match of the season.
“I’m extremely disappointed in our performance tonight, especially in the second half. The game was a product of a quality performance from Davidson’s goalkeeper, a lack of finishing from us and not being clean enough on the defensive and attacking side of the ball,” explained Brizendine.
Virginia Tech (4-6-5, 1-3-5 ACC) was outshout by Davidson (7-9-1, 1-4-0 SoCon) 14-13 in the loss.
Sophomore Kai Marshall got things started for Tech just 39 seconds into the match when senior David Clemens slipped him a through ball. Marshall beat his defender and slid a shot from the left side of the goal to put Tech up 1-0.
After the goal, things settled down as much of the play remained near midfield for the first 15 minutes of the match. The Hokies were able to produce two shots in that time span.
Tech got a chance to double their tally in the 24th minute when senior Robert Alberti was sent through on a breakaway. The senior hit a shot from point blank range but the Wildcat’s goalkeeper Matt Pacifici was able to turn the shot away.
The Hokies almost put one in in the 32nd minute when Clemens sent a free kick to sophomore Connor Pompilio. The sophomore flicked the ball towards goal but Davidson’s Pacifici was there to stop another Hokie chance.
Tech continued to pressure the Wildcat goal and nearly scored in the 36th minute. Clemens was sent through and was in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper. Clemens hit a shot but the Davidson goalkeeper made yet another save to keep the game at 1-0.
Davidson got a quality chance to score a goal in the 40th minute when a Wildcat player hit a shot that forced senior goalkeeper Kyle Renfro to make a kick save to preserve the Hokie lead.
That’s how things would stand at the end of the first half. The Hokies held a 7-3 advantage in shots and a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. Renfro was forced to make one save in the opening half.
Davidson would come out with new life in the second half peppering the Hokie goal with nine shots while limiting Tech to three.
Coming out of the break, neither team was able to produce much in the first 20 minutes of the half. The Wildcats were able to produce two shots in that period forcing Renfro to make one save while Tech rattled off one shot of their own.
Freshman Brandon Eaton got his opportunity to score in the 69th minute when he hit a shot from point blank range, but again Davidson’s goalkeeper was able to thwart the attempt.
Davidson almost scored a goal in 82nd minute but Kyle Renfro made a brilliant saved to keep the Hokies with the 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats got another opportunity to score in the 86th minute but Renfro made another quality save for Tech.
Davidson got one back in the 90th minute when the Wildcat’s Chris Pettiglio hit a shot that forced Renfro to make a save. Pettiglio picked up the rebound and slipped into the goal to make it 1-1.
With the late goal from Davidson, the match was forced into overtime. This would be the Hokies’ seventh overtime match of the season and Davidson’s fourth of the year.
Renfro made four saves in the second half of the match.
In the first overtime period the Hokies nearly got the win in the 94th minute when a shot by Connor Pompilio would be saved on the line by Davidson’s keeper.
Just one minute later, Davidson’s Valeriy Sviderskiy would put in the game-winning goal for Davidson after he picked up a rebound and put it past Renfro for the 2-1 lead.
Prior to the match, the Hokies were sporting an undefeated 1-0-5 record in overtime. With the loss Tech dropped to 1-1-5 in overtime matches.
With six saves in the match, goalkeeper Kyle Renfro moves to into a tie for fifth overall in career saves in the record books with a career total of 289. If Renfro makes nine more saves this season, he will be in a tie for fourth place overall in the record books.
“We have to go back and regroup because we have a lot on the line against Boston College on Sunday,” concluded Brizendine.
Tech finishes its three-game road stretch on Sunday when they travel to Boston College for an ACC match. That game has been rescheduled to begin at 1 p.m.