The sixth-seeded Syracuse men’s soccer team advanced to the ACC quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory over No. 11 seed Virginia Tech on Wednesday at SU Soccer Stadium. Defender Tim Brdaric scored both goals for the Orange (8-6-3, 4-3-1), propelling them past the Hokies in the opening round of the conference tournament.
Syracuse struck first in the 23rd minute when Brdaric headed in a cross from Carlos Zambrano to give the Orange an early advantage. Zambrano nearly doubled the lead four minutes later, but his shot rattled off the post. A potential insurance goal in the 33rd minute was waved off after video review confirmed an offside call. Virginia Tech equalized just before halftime, as Declan Quinn converted a short pass from Joao Felicio in the 42nd minute to make it 1-1 at the break.
The match remained tight through the second half until Brdaric broke the deadlock, burying his second goal of the night to seal the win for Syracuse. Despite being outshot 18-12, the Orange made their chances count, putting nine attempts on frame. Goalkeeper Tomas Hut made six saves to preserve the victory.
With the win, Syracuse moves on to face NC State in the ACC quarterfinals on Sunday, November 9, at the Dail Soccer Complex in Raleigh. Kickoff is scheduled for either 2, 6, or 8 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].