Early deficit, loss creates narrow path to acc tournament for virginia tech

By Kolbjorn Bergstrom

Staff Writer

October 20, 2022

BLACKSBURG — After an early foul given away by Virginia Tech defender Riley McCarthy, No. 5 Notre Dame found itself with a prime free kick chance. The away side opted for sophomore Korbin Albert to take the free kick, with a great position to either play the ball into the box or shoot.

Albert opted to take a shot, and her strike was true — a perfect strike curled into the bottom left corner off the right foot. Sophomore goalie Lauren Hargrove just couldn’t get to, giving the Fighting Irish a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the game. The early goal proved to be the winner in a 1-0 Notre Dame win.

Coming towards the end of a cold snap in Blacksburg, Thompson Field hosted its second game of the week, this time to the women's soccer programs of Virginia Tech (9-5-2, 3-4-1 ACC) and No. 5 Notre Dame (13-2, 6-2 ACC). This is the first time these sides have played in four years, with the high stakes of this occasion making the reunion all the more exciting.

“I think Notre Dame is a good side,” Tech head coach Chugger Adair said after the game, “[Notre Dame head coach] Nate [Norman], does a good job there and it's a traditional powerhouse and we want to play them year in, year out if we can.”

With the regular season coming close to its end, this match meant so much more for either side, as they both look to qualify for the ACC tournament, which is comprised of only the top six teams.

Coming into the match, Notre Dame was already comfortably inside the top six. On the other hand, Virginia Tech was just outside of the top six, tied with Clemson (7-4-4, 3-3-2 ACC) for seventh in the conference. The Hokies did not qualify for the tournament last season and are determined to not miss it again.

“It’s one of our goals, as a team, to make the ACC [tournament],” defender Victoria Haugen said. “These next two games we are gonna come out and fight.”

The determination certainly showed after conceding, as Adair’s side immediately went on the front foot. The Hokies found more opportunities through build up play and set pieces to create more shots, and Notre Dame matching this effort made for a very entertaining half of soccer.

For the strong offensive showing from either side, the goalkeepers were even stronger, as Notre Dame goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood and Hargrove started to outdo one another. Whether it was a point blank save, diving save, or palm save, no ball could get past these two stellar keepers.

Going into the half Notre Dame led in shots (9-5), but Virginia Tech led in shots on goal (4-3) and corners by the same total.

Although both sides kept up strong pressure throughout the half, they were not able to get the quality of shot needed to find a decisive goal. Of the combined 11 shots between the sides, only one shot was on target. It was an excellent game from start to finish, but Albert’s goal seven minutes in ended up being the deciding factor.

Of the past five games played, this is the fourth that Adair’s side has gone down in the first half. Of those four games, Virginia Tech is 1-3.

“That’s frustrating for us, we dug ourselves a quick little hole… and we have to figure out what to do at the start to ramp 'em up and be prepared,” Adair said.

With the loss, Virginia Tech faces a steep, steep climb to the top six. The Hokies sit eighth in the standings with two games left to play. Half of the teams have already qualified, as No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 Notre Dame all sit on 18 points — seven more than the team in seventh, Clemson.

No. 10 Duke, No. 20 Pitt, and No. 8 Virginia are the only sides that can be supplanted, but Virginia Tech would have to win both of its games as well as either Pitt or Duke losing both of its remaining games or Virginia either lose and tie or lose both of its remaining games. This is not to mention Clemson needing to also drop points as they are ahead of Virginia Tech by one point.

“We gotta pick up two wins…That’s what it's going to take and we are capable of doing it if we just put our heads together,” Adair said.

Notre Dame will look to secure a top seed in the tournament over its next two games, starting with a trip to take on Wake Forest this Sunday.

Virginia Tech stays at Thompson Field for its last regular season game at home, as it takes on Syracuse this Sunday. The Orange are 0-3-2 in their past five games and will look to make their NCAA tournament case this weekend.