Vanderbilt soccer blew a 17-point second-quarter lead towards Virginia Tech in its season opener Saturday, however the Commodores got here again to win 34-27 in time beyond regulation.
In time beyond regulation, the Commodores acquired the ball first and switch quarterback Diego Pavia led a landing drive, scoring on a quarterback keeper from 4 yards out.
Virginia Tech quarterback Colin Schlee’s fourth-down move went out of the again of the tip zone to present Vanderbilt the win.
The Commodores acquired out to a 17-0 lead within the first half however Virginia Tech scored its first factors simply earlier than halftime. The Hokies then have been the higher workforce within the second half as Vanderbilt struggled on offense and Virginia Tech linked on extra deep balls.
Virginia Tech took its first lead with 4:21 remaining within the fourth quarter when Kyron Drones and Ali Jennings linked on a 62-yard landing move.
The Commodores then drove down the sector and scored a landing with 1:51 left. They opted to kick the additional level as a substitute of making an attempt a two-point conversion.
Vanderbilt compelled a three-and-out and drove down the sector to arrange a subject objective try, however Brock Taylor missed the kick to ship the sport to time beyond regulation.
Diego Pavia impactful as runner in Vanderbilt soccer debut
Vanderbilt selected its spots with Pavia’s arm however selected as a substitute to unleash him as a runner. Pavia succeeded at making the appropriate reads and catching the protection off guard with zone-reads, read-options and bootlegs.
Pavia was additionally profitable handing the ball off to Sedrick Alexander, who made some spotlight performs within the purple zone, together with spin strikes and a hurdle.
Vanderbilt run protection improved, move protection a piece in progress
Vanderbilt’s protection seemed higher than it has prior to now with coach Clark Lea now calling performs.
The one factor the Commodores’ protection might want to clear up is the defensive penalties, with a number of private fouls known as. CJ Taylor and Langston Patterson have been amongst these known as for private fouls.
Vanderbilt was particularly in a position to include Virginia Tech’s speeding assault, with the move protection being extra of a wrestle. When the Hokies started to take extra deep photographs in the course of the second half, they typically linked, together with a 44-yard move within the fourth quarter that arrange the game-tying landing.
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Vanderbilt struggles with fumbles
Though Vanderbilt did not lose any, the Commodores did have three fumbles on a few of their misdirection performs.
Pavia was in a position to save two of these performs, recognizing the ball and selecting it up. On the third, Junior Sherrill recovered his personal fumble.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X, previously Twitter, @aria_gerson.