Marshall Men’s Soccer and Virginia Tech battled to a 2–2 draw Friday, Aug. 29, at Hoops Family Field, a matchup that carried early-season weight despite neither side leaving with a win.
The game marked Virginia Tech’s first visit to Huntington since 2002. Marshall entered off a season-opening win and last year’s run to the championship match while the Hokies arrived on the heels of a victory over No. 3 Ohio State.
Virginia Tech struck first in the 43rd minute when Ian Marcano scored on the Hokies’ first shot on goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 halftime lead. Marshall matched right after the break when Yasha Schaerer drew a penalty in the 53rd minute, and Rai Pinto converted it to score for the Herd.
The Hokies regained the advantage in the 80th minute through Alex Perez, leaving the Herd with little time remaining. Marshall goalkeeper Dan Rose had a major save in the 85th minute to keep the deficit at one.
In the 88th minute, Momo Diop scored the tying goal, securing the draw in front of the home crowd.
The Herd outshot Virginia Tech 19-4 and earned eight corners to the Hokies’ one.
Even with neither team leaving with a win, the matchup drew attention because of its early-season implications and the atmosphere surrounding it. Fans filled the stands well before kickoff, and the crowd responded to each moment that shifted the momentum on the field.
“I’m always ready to lock-in and show my love for the sport,” Huntington resident Joseph Vanhoose said. “Any game you go to at Marshall is going to be a good time, so people showed up ready.”
The scoring came in stretches, with both teams exchanging goals to keep it tied. Marshall pushed forward in the final minutes in search of a winner, but the Hokies held firm to secure the draw.
For some in attendance, the game was to prove who is better off this early in the season.
“Virginia Tech looked strong after beating Ohio (State), so this felt like a good test,” Marshall fan Dakota Rose said. “It shows where Marshall is at at this point, and it’s only game two of the season.”
The tie gives Marshall a 1–0–1 record to open the year. Virginia Tech now stands at 2–0–1 following its two wins earlier in the week.
“Marshall soccer has definitely built its reputation up,” Rose said. “That’s part of what makes people want to come out and show some support.”
The meeting also stood out for its rarity. With more than two decades since Virginia Tech last played in Huntington, the game carried some added significance for fans who follow the program closely.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Tech here for soccer,” Vanhoose said. “I don’t know about everybody else, but I was pretty excited to come out and watch after all this time, and I wasn’t even born when they played last.”
While the 2–2 result does little to separate the two programs on paper, it offered both sides a chance to evaluate their next steps going into the season.
The Herd will be travelling for the first time this season for a matchup against St. John’s Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m.
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected].
