Virginia Tech News: Incredible milestone, soccer, volleyball & more

Another busy weekend of Virginia Tech sports has passed and that means only one thing, time for another Virginia Tech Hokies News update. In this edition, the men’s soccer team suffers a heartbreaking loss, the women’s soccer team is frustrated by a nationally-ranked ACC opponent and more.

Mike Burnop works 500th consecutive football game

Long-time radio analyst Mike Burnop worked his 500th consecutive football game Saturday night in the Hokies 38-21 win over Pittsburgh. For those keeping score at home, that’s 41 straight years of calling football games.

A former Hokies tight end from 1970 to 1972, Burnop has been the voice of Virginia Tech for over four decades and in 2000 was inducted into the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame. Burnop will be in Tallahassee on Saturday for the call on the radio when the Hokies play Florida State. It was announced Saturday night that the 3:30 kickoff will be televised on ABC.

Virginia Tech men’s soccer drops game late to Clemson

There have been a couple of surprises on campus in the fall season and one of them is the Hokies men’s soccer team. After struggling in 2022, Virginia Tech entered their ACC match this weekend on the pitch at Clemson on a six-game unbeaten streak. They were seconds away from running the streak to seven games before disaster struck.

With 10 seconds remaining, the Tigers scored to win the game. Ousmane Sylla’s shot deflected off a Hokies defender and settled in the back of the net. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, Tech tied the game in the 70th minute on a Misei Yoshizawa goal. The loss drops Virginia Tech to 3-3-3 overall and 2-1-1 in conference play. They return to the pitch Friday night at Pittsburgh.

Virginia Tech women’s soccer fall to nationally ranked Wake Forest

Twenty-fifth-ranked Wake Forest came to Blacksburg over the weekend and was able to escape with a 2-0 victory over the Hokies. Natalie Mitchell had two shots for Virginia Tech and keeper Alia Skinner recorded seven saves as Tech fell to 5-4-3 overall and 2-2-0 in conference play. The Demon Deacons scored both goals in the second half in the 60 and 84th minutes.

Virginia Tech volleyball drops two ACC matches

The other feel-good story through the first month-plus of competition is the volleyball, but after starting 9-0, they have fallen on hard times. Friday night, they lost 3-1 at home Georgia Tech, then Sunday they dropped a tough five-set match at Clemson. Both losses dropped the Hokies to 10-5 and now they have lost five in a row.