The Rundown: Hokies drop well deserved points in 2-2 draw against Clemson
"Our maturity level should be better," quoted Tech coach Mike Brizendine, the 17th-year head coach, told the media in his obligatory media duties. "This is my frustration, we had the ball in the midfield, we gave it away. That's where the problem starts. And then because we're in transition and we give the ball away, someone has to foul."
The second of a two-goal comeback came off that foul Brizendine referred to, which saw the Hokies drop a crucial ACC game against a no.2 Clemson side that once looked like a stroll to a Hokie success.
On a cool Friday night at Thompson Field, a lingering sunset was chopped up by a series of black clouds, almost foreshadowing the night's events.
The Hokies and the Tigers spent most of the first half throwing punches that weren't quite landing. There were moments of miscommunication on the Tech attack, and Clemson did not look up to the intensity Tech brought. So when Hokie forward Oliver Roche was in on goal thanks to a skied kick from keeper Cooper Wenzel, it was vital that Roche kept his composure in front of goal; however Roche suffered from a headrush that spared Clemson for the first of many times.
Just minutes later, it looked as if déjà vu had struck, and Roche was once again one-on-one; yet, with much less confidence, Roche failed to find the net, leaving the packed rafters disappointed.
However, something about this Tech side refused to quit; even though chances were going begging, the Hokies kept forcing them, so when a quite fortunate 30th-minute own goal off a cross from left wingback Noe Uwimana found itself bustling into the corner of the net, a well-deserved wave of relief spread across the stands.
The Hokies weren't done there. Just minutes later, a poor back pass to Tiger tender Patrick Donovan left Donovan stranded, and Roche latched onto the miskick and finally netted his first goal of the night, exploding Thompson into a wave of celebration, including a moment where Hokie fans and players met as Brizendine's squad vaulted themselves against the fence that separated the two parties, where Tech players went face-to-face with fans in awe that the no.2 side in the nation was staring down the barrel of its third loss this season.
Unlike in basketball and football, where one mistake made early can usually be rectified. In soccer, the chances most remembered are the ones that never ended in a goal. With just under three minutes to go in the first half, Clemson forward Alex Meinhard exposed the Hokies' frail backline. As he was outmuscling Hokie defenders on the left side of the six-yard box, he drew Tech eyes onto him, which opened up a lane for Ransford Gyan to cut into the box and poke away a goal, which sliced the Clemson deficit to one heading into the break.
To open up the second period, the momentum which was once swinging towards the black-trimmed Hokies had fully found itself favoring a Clemson side that dominated possession and, with that, forced the Hokies into their own half, making it impossible for Tech to garner any lasting spurts of momentum.
Then came that earlier mentioned maturity level, which allowed for a well-swung-in ball from Ransford to find the head of Joran Gerbet, who lobbed his header to the near post and past Wenzel, who was left eyeing Gerbet's ball, which eventually dropped itself under the net, to complete the Tiger comeback.
Although Tech awoke from their slumber, they could never find the back of the net again. Forward Andy Sullins queued up four shots, each narrowly missing the net. Yet the best chance fell to a spearing Roche, who was fed a ball onto his feet from Malick Thiaw on the tail-end of a Hokie counter that found Roche square on goal with Donovan. However, with the best stop of the night, Donovan sprawled his left foot, denying Roche what likely would have been the game's final goal.
"We didn't lose, so it still gives us a look [at the College Cup], we still control our own destiny. If we can win a first-round game, we're going to be in a very good spot." Said a mild-mannered Brizendine.
As of Halloween Virginia Tech sits 48th in the RPI, ultimately, only 48 teams make the Cup, and with certain places snatched up due to conference winners receving an automatic bid, then that leaves the Hokies planted in an area of gray heading into when the committee selects the remaining few.
Additional Links:
Virginia Tech vs Syracuse: Final Score Predictions For Saturday's Game
Virginia Tech Football: Kicker Kyle Lowe To Wear No. 25 Against Syracuse
Virginia Tech Football: Syracuse Head Coach Fran Brown Previews Matchup Against Virginia Tech
