SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame and Virginia Tech are set to square off in an ACC matchup at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 3 at Alumni Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Admission to the match is free and it will be streamed on ACCNX.
NOTRE DAME vs. VIRGINIA TECH
Location: South Bend, Indiana | Alumni Stadium
Watch: ACCNX
Admission: FREE
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDMenSoccer
Game Notes: vs. Virginia Tech
THE VIRGINIA TECH SERIES
• The Irish and Hokies will meet on the pitch for the 16th time on Friday evening.
• Notre Dame holds a narrow lead in the series with a record of 8-6-1.
• The Irish claimed a victory in the most recent matchup, winning by a score of 1-0 in Blacksburg during the 2023 campaign on October 13.
• Five of the last six matchups between the two sides have been decided by one goal.
INSTANT IMPACT
• The freshman class has already made its presence felt on the Notre Dame roster, as the group has produced 18 points off six goals and six assists this season.
• Luke Burton has led the way from the striker position with three goals and two assists while making six starts up top for the Irish.
• Ren Sylvester has found his form with two goals and an assist, all coming over the last three matches.
• Alex Rosin has made five starts at left back and has proved capable of going forward in attack with a goal and three assists.
• Karson Baquero has played in each of the last four matches as a midfielder, including his first career start in the win over Hope.
SET-PIECE SUCCESS
• The Fighting Irish have scored nine goals off set pieces during the 2025 campaign.
• Three of the goals have come from free kicks, with Mitch Ferguson scoring a direct free kick and Diego Ochoa and Ferguson finishing from service into the box.
• The Irish have been even more lethal on corners, firing in six goals this season. Ferguson and Burton have each scored twice while Alex Rosin and Martin Von Thun have each recorded one.
BK THE GK
• Blake Kelly has gotten off to a great start to his sophomore season in goal for the Irish, posting four clean sheets.
• The shot stopper ranks second in the ACC in saves per game with a mark of 3.30 per outing.
• The sophomore has posted a save percentage of .786 during the 2025 campaign, ranking fourth in the ACC.
• Kelly started 12 matches for the Irish in 2024 and became the first true freshman goalie to start the season opener in the last 30 years for the program.
STRIKE FORCE
• The starting striker tandem of Wyatt Borso and Luke Burton has found its form over the last couple of weeks, as the two have combined for six goals and two assists.
• Borso ranks tied for second on the team in goals with three, scoring in three of the last five matches.
• Burton has recorded a point in five of the last six matches, scoring in wins over Pitt, Omaha and Hope and picking up assists in victories over Louisville, Wright State and Hope.
BALANCED ATTACK
• Eight players have scored the 16 goals for the Irish this season, as Mitch Ferguson (4), Wyatt Borso (3), Luke Burton (3) and Ren Sylvester (2) have each scored multiple times while Nolan Spicer, Diego Ochoa and Martin Vont Thun each found the back of the net once.
• Ten returning Irish players registered at least one point in their Notre Dame career, as the team returns 54 points from last year.
• Nine players that scored a goal during the 2024 campaign are back on this year’s team.
• Junior Jack Flanagan is the top returning goal scorer on the 2025 squad after firing in a career-high four goals during his sophomore campaign.
2025 CAPTAINS
• Mitch Ferguson and Wyatt Lewis will serve as the captains for this year’s Fighting Irish team and Blake Kelly will take on the role of assistant captain.
• Ferguson has appeared in 60 games over his Notre Dame career, scoring four goals and adding seven assists from the center back position.
• Lewis enters his third season with the Fighting Irish and has three goals and four assists as a holding midfielder.
• Kelly started 12 matches as a freshman in 2024, posting a record of 4-3-5 while recording 26 saves.
THE CHAD RILEY ERA
• McFarland Family Head Men’s Soccer Coach Chad Riley is in his eighth season in charge of the Notre Dame men’s soccer program in 2025.
• Riley became the first head coach in program history to lead the Fighting Irish to two College Cup appearances, coming during the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
• Notre Dame has captured both an ACC regular season and tournament title under his direction, both firsts in program history.