Men's Soccer Vanquishes Winthrop For Sixth Win of 2025

Virginia Tech men’s soccer found its rhythm again Tuesday evening, dispatching Winthrop 2-0 at Thompson Field behind goals from forwards Andy Sullins and Dagur Traustason, the latter of which was last week's ACC Player of the Week.

+3 points on the evening 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ZpTqJVgUSD
— Virginia Tech Men’s Soccer (@HokiesMSoccer) October 22, 2025

"Anytime you can get a shutout and a win, I'm happy with it, especially if you look at games this week in our league." said Virginia Tech head coach Mike Brizendine. "There were a lot of [teams in the ACC] that didn't do well, so I'm happy to get a win."

The Hokies (6-3-4, 1-3-2 ACC) controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, dictating play with an attack that kept the Eagles on their heels for most of the night. Tech outshot Winthrop 28-4 and held a 12–1 advantage in corner kicks, continually applying pressure in the attacking third while limiting Winthrop’s ability to create chances in transition.

'We were able to pin them in pretty good," Brizendine said. "I thought our press was pretty good... It doesn't say much about our finishing when we have [28] shots and two goals. But again, look midweek, games are hard, and I'm glad with the result. I want to walk away happy that we won, and getting ready for Cal."

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute when midfielder Ian Marcano slipped a weighted pass through the Winthrop back line. It ricocheted off the left post to Sullins, who calmly slotted home his second goal of the season to put the Hokies in front, 1-0.

Just five minutes into the second half, Tech doubled its lead. Declan Quill found space down the right wing and sent a cross into the box that found Traustason, who redirected it past Winthrop goalkeeper Charles Barnes to make it 2–0. The goal was Traustason’s seventh of the year. Though the Hokies won the contest, 2-0, it came amid a sense of wanting to be more clinical. Tech took 13 first-quarter shots and seized 11 corner kick opportunities. However, until Sullins' goal, the floodgates remained closed.

“It’s just about being clinical,” said Virginia Tech goalkeeper Sam Joseph. “We’ve done it before. We can be clinical. We played Marshall, we scored two on them and we had three shots on goal that game. So, we can be clinical.”

51' | PICKING BACK UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF ☎️

Dagur Traustason nets his SEVENTH goal of the season off Declan Quill's pass

Hokies 2, Eagles 0 pic.twitter.com/qHD1khX1BI
— Virginia Tech Men’s Soccer (@HokiesMSoccer) October 22, 2025

From there, Virginia Tech’s defense did its job to preserve the shutout. Defenders Amr Ariely, Noe Uwimana, Tito Peralta and Joao Felicio anchored a back line that allowed just one shot on goal, while goalkeeper Sam Joseph faced little danger en route to his seventh clean sheet of the campaign and his third in his last four contests.

Felicio was particularly active on both ends, generating four shots and frequently joining the attack on set pieces. The Hokies’ back line pressed high, recovering quickly to snuff out counters and keep Winthrop contained in its own half.

Winthrop goalkeeper Charles Barnes kept the scoreline respectable, recording nine saves despite constant activity in front of goal. The Eagles struggled to connect passes beyond midfield, managing only two shots on frame.

“I think decision-making in the middle to the final third is huge, whether we want to play the ball to the back post or the near post," Joseph said when asked about areas of improvement. "Just going as a team, I think, is big, I think everyone on the team has a great mentality, it’s just putting all the pieces together."

For a Hokies squad that's endured high highs — such as their win over then-No. 3 Ohio State and their tie with then-No. 2 Marshall — and low lows, amid a almost-winless September, the side showcased a solid effort, albeit one that still needs tinkering, particularly in regards to finishing in the final third. When asked what led to difficulty finishing, Brizendine spotlighted Winthrop's defensive effort, which he remarked "had five guys diving around" for the majority of shots.

More pressingly, Brizendine spotlighted attention to detail as an area of improvement for the Hokies.

For a team that’s endured tight finishes and tough competition in one of the nation’s deepest conferences, Tuesday’s win was a reminder of what this Virginia Tech side can do when it executes with focus and fluidity from start to finish, but also where improvement is warranted.

“Just worried about Cal,” said Brizendine. “Just trying to get three points, I think it’s pivotal for us. So, we’re going to put everything we’ve got into getting those three points and getting into the middle of the table in the ACC.”

Tech will face Cal (5-6-2, 1-4-1 ACC) on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m. ET. The contest will be the Hokies' last home contest of the 2025 campaign.

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