BLACKSBURG – Nico Quashie capped off the night with a goal in the 88thminute, in a game that saw David Sanz and Kristo Strickler also find the back of the net as the No. 22 Virginia Tech men's soccer team bested Syracuse 3-1 at Thompson Field.
For Tech, the result moves the squad's record to 10-5-3 on the season and advances the Hokies into the ACC's Quarterfinal round to face the North Carolina Tar Heels. For Head Coach Mike Brizendine and the Hokies, the win signals the third consecutive season with 10 wins, something the program hasn't seen since 2007, a year that ended with the Hokies in the College Cup.
Once Tech settled into the game, the Hokies had the better of the chances and took advantage, first through Sanz who scored his third goal of the season. Defender James Kasak make a run down the left flank and cut onto his right foot and curled an effort that was saved by the Orange's keeper Hendrik Hilpert. On the ensuing corner the initial ball was cleared but right to the feet of the Spaniard who volleyed home a rocket, sending the Hokies out to a one-nil advantage which would be held until the half.
(10/31/2018) 2018 MEN'S SOCCER ACC FIRST ROUND GAME
In the second frame Tech continued to press and found another goal thanks in large part to the hustle of Strickler. The Hokies clipped a long ball into the Syracuse half that bounced and the Orange were first to it, but the defender tried heading in backwards towards Hilpert but instead found Strickler, who dashed in and nodded home his ninth goal of the season.
Syracuse did apply pressure during the match, holding a 23-11 advantage in shots on the night and 6-5 in corners. That pressure resulted in a goal by Ryan Raposo when he found a bouncing ball at the back post that was hit across the box by Jan Breitenmouser. It was his fourth tally on the season and gave Syracuse a spark in the 84thminute.
However, Quashie added the exclamation points in the 88thwhen he latched onto a pass from freshman Vincent Jackson II near midfield and outraced the defender before dispatching his finish in the bottom corner. Quashie has shown a penchant for big moments, scoring the game-winner on two occasions this season including in double overtime against this same Orange team early in the season and leading Tech to two straight victories his freshman campaign during the postseason.
Tonight's Play of the Game is @NicooSuavee's strike to put it to bed in the final minutes
— Virginia Tech Men's Soccer (@HokiesMSoccer) November 1, 2018
He's scored late in both wins over the Orange 🤙pic.twitter.com/MXiFmEmx2a
Syracuse, the league's 10 seed, fell to 7-6-4 on the season with the result.
NEXT UP
The Hokies will face the league's second seed, the North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday, Nov. 4 in Chapel Hill at 1 p.m.