Aug. 25, 2006
Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md. -- No. 19 Virginia Tech scored goals in the first 10 minutes of each half and stifled Navy's offense en route to a 3-0 victory over the Midshipmen in the men's soccer opener for both teams on Friday. The Mids drop to 0-1-0 overall heading into Sunday's noon kickoff against Saint Joseph's in Baltimore.
Virginia Tech was the aggressor early on, scoring the first goal of the game at the 8:39 mark. The Hokies took advantage of a defensive miscommunication to receive a corner kick. Virginia Tech's Charles Campbell sent a perfect cross to Marcus Reed, who headed it past the Navy defense for a 1-0 advantage.
The Navy defense settled down after the first 10 minutes and kept Virginia Tech at bay for the remainder of the half. Jenkins was called on to make five saves in the first half, while Navy's chances were limited. The Mids did have a pair of solid opportunities in the last 15 minutes, the first being when Carter Stapleton (Summerfield, N.C.) and McKenzie Plank (Mountain View, Calif.) executed a 2-on-3 give-and-go, but Plank couldn't corral the ball along the left side and the ball trickled out of bounds.
The next chance came with about 20 seconds left in the half when freshman Andrew Garcia (Arlington, Texas) sent a ball into the box that slipped just past a streaking Stapleton and the Hokies' defense then ran out the clock.
Virginia Tech outshot the Mids, 9-1, in the first half and drew seven corner kicks to Navy's one.
The second half started much like the first with the Hokies adding to their lead just 1:24 into the second frame. Reed found Ben Nason alone in front, who then sent a rocket past Jenkins just inside the right post for a 2-0 cushion.
Virginia Tech would add one more on a 3-on-2 breakaway when Reed found Eric Vickers, who sent a low eight-yard shot from the right wing to the left post past Jenkins at the 64:10 mark.
Navy's best opportunity of the day came with just 19 minutes left, when Plank sent a low, slicing rocket from 18 yards out that beat Virginia Tech keeper Brendan Dunn, but caromed off the left post and out of bounds to thwart the Navy threat.
Virginia Tech dominated statistically, outshooting the Mids, 15-2, and drawing 13 corner kicks to Navy's one. The Mids also committed 14 fouls to Tech's four.
Thomas Jenkins made a career-best seven saves in goal for the Mids.
# GO NAVY #
