BLACKSBURG, Va. — The No. 8 Fighting Irish men’s soccer team pushed its win streak to five matches with a gritty 1-0 ACC road victory in Blacksburg on Friday evening at Thompson Field.
The win pushes Notre Dame’s ACC record to 5-0-1, which is the best start to ACC play in program history. It also marks the first victory by the Irish in Blacksburg since the 2013 season.
The Irish goal came from a familiar source as Matthew Roou scored his team-high eighth goal of the season in the 72nd minute off a throw-in to deliver Notre Dame the victory.
Bryan Dowd picked up his sixth clean sheet of the season, the team’s seventh and third straight. The senior keeper finished with one save in the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame grew into the match, as the Hokies controlled the early stages of play but the Irish managed to keep the contest scoreless despite having less of the ball.
The Irish created a couple good scoring opportunities in the final 15 minutes of action. Roou was fouled just outside the box in the 33rd minute and KK Baffour fired the free kick just wide of the post.
Baffour created a chance in the 44th minute, cutting onto his preferred right foot just inside the area but his attempt was saved by the Virginia Tech keeper.
The hosts almost grabbed a lead in the final seconds of the first half but Paddy Burns cleared a ball right by the goal to keep the match scoreless heading into the halftime break.
The Irish came out of the half and controlled possession. Daniel Russo was taken down in the box in the 54th minute to give Notre Dame a golden opportunity but Paddy Burns’ attempt found the left post and the match remained scoreless.
In the 72nd minute Notre Dame found the opener off a Kyle Genenbacher throw-in, as Mitch Ferguson flicked his header on to a running Roou at the back post who smashed in the finish to put the Irish up 1-0.
The Irish defense locked down the Hokies’ attack for the final 18 minutes of play and saw out the 1-0 lead en route to the victory.
McFARLAND FAMILY MEN’S HEAD SOCCER COACH CHAD RILEY’S TAKE
On the performance…
“Very proud of the team tonight. We started a bit slow but grew into the game well. Virginia Tech is a very good team and they certainly challenged us tonight. I am really proud of how the guys on the bench came into the game and really changed it for the better. It was a true team win.”
ND STAT OF THE MATCH
Notre Dame is the first team to shutout Virginia Tech during the 2023 season.
ND NOTES
- With the win, Notre Dame is now 8-6-1 against Virginia Tech in the all-time series
- Notre Dame has recorded three straight clean sheets
- The Irish allowed one or no goals in 12 of 13 matches this season
- Roou’s goal gives him a team and career-high eight on the season and he now has 19 in his career
- Ferguson recorded his first assist of the season and third of his career
- Genenbacher’s assist was his third of the 2023 campaign and seventh of his Fighting Irish career
- Dowd’s clean sheet is his sixth of the season and 19th of his career
UP NEXT
The Irish remain on the road next week with a regional rivalry match against Michigan at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The match will air on B1G+.
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