Hokie ClubDURHAM, N.C. – Two second-half goals from No. 2 Duke were enough to defeat Virginia Tech in the first round of the ACC Championship on Wednesday evening.
The Hokies will now await their postseason fate, as they’re sat with a 7-6-4 record following a season with one of the country’s toughest schedules, including each of the top five seeds in the ACC tournament.
Tech went scoreless into the break with the No. 3 seed Blue Devils, following a first half that saw few opportunities for either side.
A CJ Coppola strike from inside the box and a well-hit ball by Ethan Hackenberg in the closing minutes of the half were the only shots on frame for the teams in the first 45 minutes.
Action ramped up in the second half, but it was Duke that found the back of the net off a good movement from Drew Kerr found Colton Pleasants in the box to slot home the game’s first goal.
The Hokies were swift to get back in the game, as Malick Thiaw was taken down in the box just one minute later and Tech was awarded a penalty kick. Unfortunately for the visitors, the freshman’s first penalty kick of the season was saved by Wessel Speel.
Wednesday night’s dramatics continued on in the 77th minute, as Cooper Wenzel came up big for a penalty stop of his own, denying Duke’s Ulfur Bjornsson from the spot.
Bjornsson would avenge his miss just minutes later, however, as he cleanly struck a ball that fell to him outside the box and beat Wenzel with a shot that no goalkeeper was stopping.
Through 19 games, Virginia Tech is still yet to concede more than two goals in a game.