BLACKSBURG, Va. – Four first-half goals from four different goal scorers lifted ACC powerhouse and 14th-ranked Virginia Tech to a 5-1 win over the Longwood men's soccer team Tuesday night at Thompson Field.
With the high-powered Hokies coming off a 2-1 loss to top-ranked Wake Forest despite playing 60 minutes with 10 men, Virginia Tech (5-1-2) was able to strike four times in a span 24 minutes in the opening half. In its second game of the season against a top 15 program after a Labor Day matchup against UNCW, the Lancers have lost two of its last three games.
"We really didn't solve the game's problems the first half and while we started the better team, we found ourselves in a big hole," said Longwood 13th-year head coach
Jon Atkinson. "The opening goal changed the complexity of the game, the wheels came off and we didn't recover for the remainder of the half. That's disappointing as this was a great opportunity tonight and one that wasn't taken, not because we weren't capable, but we didn't compete."
The game against the Hokies marks the latest game in a slate of difficult non-conference games that has also seen the Lancers face CAA powers UNCW and William & Mary, along with Southern Conference preseason favorite UNCG.
The Lancers had the first opportunity of the game, with
Markus Gronli finding
Mikel Abando in front of goal, but Mathijs Swaneveld was able to pounce on the ball before Abando could finish. From there, the Hokies took over with James Kasak, Jon Igason, Kristo Strickler and Sebastian Rodriguez all scoring in a 24-minute span to break the game open.
Strickler added his second of the night in a four-point game less than four minutes into the second half before
Mikel Abando scored his third goal of the season and second in a three-game span two minutes later in the 51st minute.
"Second half was a marked improvement, some adjustments were made and we had four glorious chances that could've drawn us closer," Atkinson said. "However, they weren't taken, giving us a sour-looking score line."
In goal, Swaneveld made six saves on 13 Longwood shots to pick up the win for the Hokies.
Jacob Reimers got the start for the Lancers, making three saves on 12 first-half shots before
Miguel Bayma played the second half, making three saves on nine shots.
Longwood will seek a 1-0 start in conference play Saturday, Sept. 22, as the Lancers travel to Asheville, N.C. for a meeting with UNC Asheville. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
"The potential can be realized with this group and I feel we will be ready for Saturday's conference opener with a renewed spirit," Atkinson said.
Inside the Box Score:
- The meeting between the Lancers and Hokies marks the third straight season the two teams have met, all coming in Blacksburg. In the Division I era, Longwood has played Virginia Tech more than any other Power Five opponent, with its eight meetings with the Hokies surpassing the four against Pittsburgh – the opponent Longwood has faced second-most in the Division era.
- Mikel Abando has scored three goals in his six games at Longwood. That's the most by a Lancer newcomer in the first six games of a season since Willy Miezan accomplished the feat in 2015.
- The Hokies racked up a season-high 21 shots, surpassing the 18 they took earlier this season against Gardner-Webb.
- The five goals surrendered by the Lancers mark the most allowed this season.
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