Roche emerged as a pivotal player for Virginia Tech during the first half of the match, showcasing his skill and determination by registering three of the Hokies’ four shots on goal in that initial 45 minutes, establishing himself as a constant threat to Davidson’s defense.
The Dane’s impressive performance included scoring his first goal of the evening, marking a significant milestone for the Hokies, as it was the earliest goal they have netted in a contest this season. Roche skillfully headed home a deflected shot by Ethan Hackenberg just nine minutes into the match, igniting hope among the Virginia Tech fans.
Despite Roche’s contributions, Tech’s offensive opportunities in the first half were relatively sparse, with only an early long-range attempt from Carter Hensley and a late strike by Andy Sullins serving as additional testing moments for Davidson’s goalkeeper.
Cooper Wenzel also rose to the occasion by making a crucial save when called upon once in the first half, demonstrating his reliability in the goal for the Hokies.
However, the second half saw the Wildcats capitalize on an early opportunity. As they initiated an attack from the back, a crucial miscommunication between Tech’s midfield players allowed a Davidson forward to intercept the ball and play in a surging Noah Louzan, who unleashed a powerful strike that found the back of the net, leveling the score.
Virginia Tech regained its lead in the 66th minute when Roche displayed his impressive positioning and awareness by connecting with a well-placed cross from Ian Marcano. He expertly volleyed the ball out of mid-air. With CJ Coppola making a decisive run in front of goal, which drew the attention of a nearby defender, the ball consequently deflected off a Davidson player, leaving their goalkeeper out of position and unable to respond.
Just six minutes shy of securing a seventh non-conference victory of the season, the Hokies faced a setback as a corner kick that was parried away by Wenzel fell directly to the feet of Davidson’s Myles Culley. The midfielder seized the opportunity and launched a thunderous strike from outside the box that took a deflection off a Tech player, rendering Wenzel powerless to make the save.
The goal scored in the 84th minute marked the latest point at which Virginia Tech has conceded this season, reflecting on their late-game vulnerabilities.
Virginia Tech will conclude its regular season at 6 p.m. on Friday at Thompson Field, as the Hokies prepare to host the formidable No. 2 Clemson, poised for a challenging encounter.
