Weekend Preview: Hokies Head Up North to Compete in ACCHL Tournament

By: Christopher Pierce | Thursday, Nov 2, 2023

For the first time since October 13th, the Virginia Tech Hokies (6-6-1) sit at an even five-hundred record after securing a two-game sweep against Stevenson last weekend.

After a weekend that saw the Hokies lose all three games in Louisville Kentucky during the Derby City Showdown, the team bounced back in a big way at home to conclude the month of October.

On Friday night, the Hokies would capitalize on six goals in a 6-2 offensive clinic win over the Stevenson Mustangs. Sophomore Matthew Tullo earned the first star of the night scoring two goals in the second period while Junior Dom Fantozzi continued his stellar season adding two assists as well.

Moreover, it was also the debut game for Freshman Evan Dutil, who made an immediate impact on the second line with two assists for his first points as a Hokie. To put the icing on the cake, goalie Ian Kee bounced back as well between the posts securing his fifth win of the season.

Saturday night provided the same energy of offensive explosiveness for the Hokies as they once again defeated Stevenson 7-2. Sophomore Shane Cook stood tall between the pipes, earning his first win of the season while offensively Matt Tullo and Evan Dutil each scored two goals.

In a season full of questions and inconsistencies, this past weekend delivered some promise of what this team is capable of when playing at their best.  Furthermore, the 13 goals scored against Stevenson this weekend by the Hokies were the most for the team in a two-game span since September of last year. In those games against Wake Forest and Christopher Newport, the team recorded 14 goals as they swept the weekend at home.

Therefore, this leads us to this weekend, perhaps the biggest challenge the team has faced so far, with the ACCHL Tournament. So far this season, the Hokies have played in four divisional games, two each against UNCW and Delaware, sitting with a 2-2 record. Looking ahead, the team will face three new teams this weekend as they hope to continue the momentum carried from last weekend.

So, who will the Hokies play? Let’s meet their opponents:

Rider Broncos

One of three new teams added to the ACCHL Premier Division for the 2023-24 season, the Broncos (11-2, 2-1) have made their presence felt entering tournament weekend. An electric high-scoring team given the opportunity; Rider is looking to continue its impressive run in the club's first year as a member of the ACCHL. They will get the Hokies to kick off the weekend up in Northern Virginia as these teams look to renew their rivalry after previously being former MACH opponents.

Rowan Profs

A team similar in philosophy to Tech, the Rowan Profs (5-5, 1-2) are looking to salvage the momentum gained from last weekend. These two teams are no strangers to each other as last season they played twice with Rowan coming out victorious in overtime in both contests. The Hokies are looking to seek revenge against the Profs and will have the chance to do so this weekend.

Maryland Terrapins

Another team entering their first year in the ACCHL Premier Division, the Maryland Terrapins (7-5, 2-1) are staying right in the mix of things entering tournament weekend. After losing both games at home to Millersville over the weekend, the Terrapins will look to get back on track with matchups against UNCW, NC State, and Virginia Tech in the Fall Classic Tournament.

What can we expect?

A tough, but competitive weekend is in store at The St. James with the ACCHL Fall Classic Tournament taking place. Eight out of the nine teams in the Premier League will compete against one another in hopes of bolstering their division records that come February may be crucial for seeding. This season has shown us that anything can happen, and to expect the unexpected when it comes to the victors and losers of each contest.

Who will be crowned champion? We will just have to find out come this weekend.

Game information

The Hokies kick off their Fall Classic Tournament on Friday at 5:15 p.m. when they face off against Rider. Their weekend continues Saturday at 7:15 p.m. against the Rowan Profs and concludes on Sunday at 5:15 p.m. versus the Maryland Terrapins. All the games will be played at The St. James in Springfield, VA, and will be broadcast on the Maryland Terrapins Hockey Network.