BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech men's soccer team is amidst preparations for its sixth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Hokies (10-5-3, 3-4-1 ACC) wrapped up a regular season that saw them defeat then-No. 1 Marshall at a neutral site, go undefeated in non-conference play, and rattle off a seven-game unbeaten streak.
Tech knew before the season that it had its hands full with one of the toughest schedules in the country and adapted quickly to get results. In their second match of the season, the Hokies stormed back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to take down No. 1 Marshall. Captain Sivert Haugli tallied two goals before junior Nick Blacklock sealed Tech's win with a penalty kick. The result was Virginia Tech's fourth win over a No. 1 team in program history.
It wasn't until Tech's sixth match of the season that the Hokies were able to play in front of a home crowd, but it was certainly worth the wait.
Jacob Labovitz recorded a brace in Virginia Tech's first home game, including a game winning header in overtime to defeat in-state rivals Virginia in front of over 3,000 fans at Thompson Field.
The result kickstarted a seven-game unbeaten streak that saw Tech go 6-0-1, with wins against ACC foes Notre Dame and Louisville. Thompson Field became a fortress for the Hokies, as well, with rowdy crowds spurring them on to a 7-1 record at home.
As injuries mounted in the run-in of the regular season, Virginia Tech was forced to regroup after dropping two matches ahead of the ACC Championship.
Returning to its home, Tech toughed out a 1-0 overtime win against Boston College to make its fifth-consecutive ACC Championship quarterfinal – a mark that only Notre Dame and Wake Forest can match.
Against top-seeded Pitt, the Hokies battled and pushed the match to overtime for the seventh time this season. Ultimately, the Panthers prevailed after a 103rd minute golden goal by second team All-ACC member Valentin Noel.
Virginia Tech's spirit is still high after conference play, as three players were recognized with All-ACC honors: Labovitz (1st team), Mayola Kinyua (3rd team), and Danny Flores (All-Freshman). This marked the second year in a row that three Hokies were named to All-ACC teams, and Labovitz became the third Tech player in two years to be named to the first team.
The Hokies look to carry this momentum into a sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament. As it stands, Tech sits as one of six elite programs that has made the tournament the past five years, joining Indiana, Maryland, Wake Forest, Stanford and Washington.
The Division I NCAA men's soccer selection show will take place on Monday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. ET. The selection show can be streamed live on NCAA.com.
