FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University men’s soccer team played to a 0-0, double-overtime draw against Virginia Tech (5-5-2) of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Tuesday evening at the Athletics Complex in Farmville. Freshman Zach Corcoran|Martinsville (Martinsville) led the Lancers (3-9-2) with two shots in the match. Longwood returns to action on Saturday, October 13 when the squad travels to Belmont University for a 5:30 p.m. tilt.

“Our players should feel happy about tonight’s result, but not completely satisfied,” said head coach Jon Atkinson. “I thought we started out very brightly and took the game to a solid Virginia Tech team, but the key to games like this is to score when you’re on top and we did everything but that. However, we can reflect on some great positives and look toward the next four games with a renewed belief that we are much more capable than what we have shown by our results this year.

“I want to thank the Lancer support tonight. It was incredible and gave our boys a huge lift. This result is dedicated to our 12th-man.”

Seven other Lancers tallied a shot in the contest. Sophomore Athony Ugorji|Washington, D.C. (Archbishop Carroll) and freshman Mike Durr|Brandon, Miss (Brandon) put one shot on goal apiece, while senior Devin Pierce|Virginia Beach (Kempsville), sophomore Jonathan Kukapa|Leesburg (Clarksburg Md.), sophomore Daena Bodie|Guernsey, England (St. Sampson's Secondary School), freshman Sam Yardley|Fairfax Station (Robinson) and freshman Will Lambert|Charlottesville (Monticello) each tallied one shot, as well. Sophomore goalkeeper Paul Hegedus|Ashburn (Broad Run) earned the shutout in net for LU with a career-high eight saves on the night.

The Lancers controlled the pace of play early in the match putting two hard shots close to the net in the opening minutes. Yardley wound up and took a shot that sailed just high in the ninth minute before Kukapa dished a cross to Pierce on the left side for the shot that missed wide.

The Hokies came close to breaking the game open when they put a header on goal that found its way past Hegedus, but the shot was quickly called off due to a push-off to keep the contest knotted at 0-0.

The Lancers quickly regrouped to go on the offensive in the 30th minute. Ugorji got foot on a cross, sending the ball toward the back right corner of the net, but a great defensive save by VT’s Hunter Jecius extinguished the opportunity. Corcoran continued to pressure the Hokies’ defense with a powerful shot that rang the right post before Virginia Tech could clear the ball out of their offensive zone.

In the second half, Hegedus made a diving save on a VT header to keep the game scoreless in the 51st minute of play. Longwood made an attempt in the 70th minute when Yardley inserted a corner kick that found Kukapa for the redirect, but missed high. Hegedus came up with two more diving saves in the waning minutes of regulation to send the game to a 10-minute, sudden-victory overtime period.

Virginia Tech outshot Longwood, 2-1, in the first overtime, including a shot by Kai Marshall that skimmed across the top of the net, but neither squad was able to convert, causing a second overtime. Following a Virginia Tech foul, junior Jared Windt|Haymarket (Battlefield) played in a free kick for the Lancers, and with a leaping header, Durr was able to put the ball low and on goal, but the Hokies’ keeper dropped to the ground in time for the save. In the final minute of the game, Drew Ranahan put a header of his own on goal, but Hegedus made the save, ending the game in scoreless draw.

Virginia Tech outshot Longwood, 12-9, in the outing and forced more corner kicks, 7-5. Tuesday’s match marked the eighth meeting ever between the Lancers and the Hokies in the sport of men’s soccer. With Tuesday’s draw, the all-time series remains tied at 3-3-2.

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