Virginia Tech Men's Soccer Stuns No. 3 Ohio State, 1-0

The Buckeyes (0-1-0) led the nation at the conclusion of last year's regular season, tallying a 14-1-3 record before the postseason. Ohio State eventually reached the NCAA Tournament semifinals, falling to championship runner-ups Marshall in a 1-0 loss. At the end of the year, the Buckeyes ranked No. 3 in the NCAA's Rating Performance Index (RPI). Virginia Tech? No. 44.

But the Hokies persevered, tallying the match's only score with a goal 40 and a half minutes in from defender Colin Beutel. Prior to Beutel's goal, the shot glanced off in front of the Ohio State goal, then was slammed up into the upper right corner by the true freshman defender.

Virginia Tech registered the first shot of the match seven minutes in, when forward Declan Quill fired a strike that just missed, veering narrowly wide to the left. The Hokies were quickly tested on the other end three minutes later; Ohio State midfielder Luciano Pechota redirected a shot toward the bottom center of the goal. Senior goalkeeper Sam Joseph, who transferred to Virginia Tech after three seasons with the UCLA Bruins, reacted quickly to make the save, keeping the match scoreless. Joseph’s early heroics set the tone for a disciplined defensive performance from the Hokies throughout the first half.

Both teams finished the first half with six shots apiece, highlighting a tight, evenly matched contest in the opening 45 minutes. Despite the balanced shot total, clear scoring chances were at a premium, with both defenses maintaining strong structure and forcing low-percentage attempts.

Through the full 90 minutes, the Hokies notched a pair of shots on goal, while the Buckeyes tallied three looks at the net, keeping Virginia Tech’s senior goalkeeper Sam Joseph busy. However, only one shot ultimately found the back of the net: Beutel’s strike near the end of the first half, which gave the Hokies a crucial 1–0 lead heading into the break. The goal provided a boost of momentum for Tech while leaving Ohio State needing a response in the second half, one that didn't surface.

The win, the Hokies' third straight season-opening victory, came against last season's goals-against-average leader, Buckeyes goalkeeper Max Trejo. Trejo's .533 goals-against-average mark in 2024 paced the nation and he posted seven shutouts a year ago.

Tech’s 1-0 victory over Ohio State was a rare defensive feat, marking only the third time in the past two seasons that the Buckeyes have been held scoreless. Ohio State entered the match boasting one of the nation’s more potent offenses, making the Hokies’ ability to maintain a clean sheet all the more impressive. Last year, the Buckeyes ranked No. 6 in goals per game (2.32).

Tech now has a three-day break before remaining in Thompson Field to face Canisius. The Golden Griffins (1-0-0) also kicked off their season with a win, defeating VMI 3-0 on Thursday.

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