BLACKSBURG, Va. — The Hurricanes wanted to beat Virginia Tech on the highway and attempt to do it in convincing vogue so they may keep alive within the School Soccer Playoff.
No. 13 Miami (9-2, 5-2 ACC) completed that — regardless of a messy fourth quarter — beating the Hokies (3-8, 2-5 ACC) 34-17 at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia. Miami had the lead for almost your entire recreation after scoring on its opening drive.
Miami opened the sport the place it left off in opposition to N.C. State, driving down the sphere methodically on an eight-play, 75-yard drive that Carson Beck capped with a 20-yard landing move to a wide-open Elija Lofton.
The Hokies’ first drive began effectively, too. After an unsportsmanlike conduct by UM’s Jaboree Antoine on the kickoff, Virginia Tech operating again Marcellous Hawkins broke off a 33-yard run. However Miami’s protection rebounded to carry the Hokies to a discipline purpose.
Beck continued his scorching streak on the next drive. Beck and the Hurricanes drove down the sphere once more on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that Beck ended with a 3-yard scoring move to operating again Mark Fletcher Jr., who returned from an undisclosed harm Saturday after lacking two video games.
Beck accomplished his first 11 passes of the sport, setting a brand new Miami file and personal-best completion streak of 24 straight passes, courting again to UM’s win over N.C. State. The streak ended when tight finish Alex Bauman couldn’t cling onto a possible landing move whereas being hit.
Miami had two drives stall within the second quarter, leading to Carter Davis discipline objectives that put the Hurricanes forward 20-3 at halftime.
The Hokies excelled when operating the ball in opposition to the Hurricanes, speeding for extra yards than any opponent has in opposition to UM this season. They opened the second half with a 38-yard landing run by Jeffrey Overton Jr., which lower Miami’s result in 10 factors.
The Hurricanes responded with one other 75-yard drive, turning it into seven factors when Beck discovered a wide-open Girard Pringle Jr. for a 16-yard landing on a wheel route.
The sport obtained sloppy late, as a collection of miscues by each groups and complicated referee calls saved the rating stationary by way of a lot of the fourth quarter. Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones left the sport with an harm, and backup William Watson III transformed on fourth-and-long and scored a speeding landing to make it 27-17 UM late within the recreation.
The quarterback change gave the Hokies a shot of power, and Virginia Tech recovered an onside kick. However Akheem Mesidor pressured Watson to fumble, and Miami scored a late landing on a move from Beck to Malachi Toney to seal the 34-17 win.
5 takeaways
1. Carson Beck has one other robust recreation
The Hurricanes veteran has been enjoying a few of his finest soccer the final two weeks. Beck’s completion stretch would have gone longer, however tight finish Alex Bauman dropped a landing move.
Beck finshed the sport with an 84 % completion proportion and 320 yards with 4 touchdowns.
2. Protection bends however doesn’t break
The Hokies broke off a number of good performs on the bottom, however the Hurricanes saved them in examine. Virginia Tech had an opportunity to match Miami’s opening drive with a landing of its personal, however the Hurricanes held the Hokies to a discipline purpose. It could be the final factors Virginia Tech would rating till the opening drive of the third quarter.
Miami did job on third and fourth downs, holding VT to 6 of 17 on third and fourth down makes an attempt.
3. However UM will get gashed on the bottom
Miami has had one of many nation’s finest run defenses this 12 months, getting into Saturday with the No. 3 run protection within the nation. However Virginia Tech is a stable operating workforce, getting into the sport with the No. 35 run offense within the nation.
The Hokies broke off massive runs in opposition to the Hurricanes and completed with 194 internet yards on the bottom, which was a season-high for opponents dealing with Miami.
However the Hurricanes did restrict VT within the passing recreation for a lot of the recreation, making Virginia Tech one-dimensional.
4. Malachi Toney once more
There’s not a lot else to say in regards to the Hurricanes’ star freshman. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson has began utilizing him in additional unique packages, lining him up as a Wildcat quarterback, lining him up as a operating again and having him throw the ball.
Toney had a dart of a completion that he threw from a three-quarters arm angle, and he had 146 receiving yards within the win. Toney has 844 yards this season, approaching Ahmmon Richards’ Miami freshman file of 934 receiving yards.
5. Penalties crop up once more
After fighting penalties all year long, Miami had completed effectively to restrict that in latest weeks.
However penalty points confirmed up once more on Saturday. UM was charged with 9 penalties for 88 yards, they usually have been referred to as for private fouls 4 occasions.
