Stanford University’s men’s soccer team secured a 3-1 win over Virginia Tech in its first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) home match at Cagan Stadium on Sunday. The victory improved Stanford’s record to 7-1-1 overall and 2-1-0 in conference play, while Virginia Tech’s winless streak extended to five games.
Jeremy Gunn, Knowles Family Director of Men’s Soccer, praised his team’s performance: “It was a phenomenal performance. We came out with such a great purpose, and I thought we were irrepressible at times. [Virginia Tech] has such great soccer players, and I can’t speak highly enough of their team, so I’m really proud of how well we handled them tonight.”
Stanford dominated possession early, recording five shots and five corner kicks within the first 30 minutes. In the 33rd minute, Zach Bohane assisted Jack Pymm for the opening goal—Pymm’s third of the season.
Virginia Tech nearly equalized before halftime but was denied by two saves from Stanford goalkeeper Rowan Schnebly.
Early in the second half, Bohane scored off a Joshua Partal corner kick. This marked Bohane’s second game this season with both a goal and an assist.
The Hokies responded in the 61st minute when a corner kick deflected off a Stanford defender for an own goal. However, Stanford regained control late in the match as Fletcher Bank capitalized on a loose ball from a deflected corner to score in the 82nd minute.
“The ball just fell right to me and I was able to poach it home,” Bank said. “We spend a lot of time on set pieces, and it’s a credit to our coaching staff. All in all, it was just an exciting night on a beautiful pitch under the lights at Cagan.”
Stanford limited Virginia Tech’s opportunities throughout the contest, maintaining possession for much of the match and holding a significant advantage in shots (19-6) and corners (12). Schnebly finished with five saves—a season high.
Gunn highlighted his team’s attacking consistency: “What’s been so exciting for us is that we’ve continued to create chances in every game. We’ve been putting teams under pressure in all different ways, and that makes us incredibly difficult to scout.”
Stanford will remain at home for upcoming matches against Oregon State on September 24 and Boston College on September 28.
