BLACKSBURG – In its regular season non-conference finale, Virginia Tech played to a 2-2 draw with Davidson on Tuesday evening at Thompson Field.
Led by two goals from Oliver Roche, it look as if the Hokies would take all three points in the contest, but an 84th minute goal from Davidson left both sides even at the end of the night.
Roche was at the center of Virginia Tech’s attack for most of the first half, as he registered three of Tech’s four shots on frame in the first 45 minutes.
The Dane’s first goal of the evening was the Hokies’ earliest goal in a contest this season, as Roche headed home a deflected shot by Ethan Hackenberg in the ninth minute.
Tech’s opportunities in the first half weren’t overbearing, with an early shot from distance by Carter Hensley and a late strike from Andy Sullins being the only other causes of concern for Davidson.
Cooper Wenzel answered the call when tested once in the first half, as well.
However, the Wildcats pounced on an early opportunity in the second half.
Working their way out from the back, a miscommunication between Tech’s midfield allowed a Davidson attacker to steal the ball and play in a charging Noah Louzan, who rocketed a strike into the back of the net.
Virginia Tech pushed its way back into the lead in the 66th minute when Roche picked out a cross from Ian Marcano that he volleyed out of the air. With CJ Coppola making a run in front of goal that brought a defender in, as well, the ball deflected off a Davidson player and left the goalkeeper wrong-footed.
Just six minutes short of taking home a seventh non-conference win of the season, the Hokies conceded as a corner parried away by Wenzel fell to the feet of Davidson’s Myles Culley. The midfielder unleashed a strike from outside the box that took a ricochet off a Tech player, which left Wenzel helpless.
The 84th minute goal was the latest score conceded by Tech this season.
Virginia Tech wraps up its regular season at 6 p.m. on Friday at Thompson Field, as the Hokies host No. 2 Clemson.
Hokie Club