Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 10 No. 2 | October 2017

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GOING AFTER
HIS
GOALS
Prolific goal scorer Marcelo
Acuna hails from Costa Rica,
but he always wanted to
play in the U.S. and he
ultimately wanted to
play in the ACC –
and he’s been
successful at
every stop
by Jimmy
Robertson
When asked why, Acuna never hesitated.
“I love it,” he said. “I like everything. The school spirit is the thing that I like the most. Everybody is
concerned about the university, and everyone loves being here. Also, the athletic department, I like it.
I love everything about it.”
And Tech certainly loves him.
Acuna started all 22 games a year ago and scored 11 goals, including a hat trick against VMI
and two goals each in games against South Florida and Charlotte, with the latter game being
in the NCAA Championships. He scored the game-winning goal in the Hokies’ first three
games.
He interestingly played with confidence right from the start. Some maybe would be
at least a little intimidated by playing in the ACC, which features the best men’s soccer
players in the nation. A recent check of the polls proves that fact, as six of the top 11
teams in the United Soccer Coaches poll call the ACC home.
“I come from a very good level back in Costa Rica,” Acuna said. “I was playing
with excellent players. I knew the ACC was a good level, but I believe in my
capacities as a soccer player. I never doubted. It never passed through my
mind that I couldn’t play in the ACC.”
Acuna gave the Hokies exactly what they needed—a threat on offense.
Soccer games are often close, and a proven goal scorer often turns out
to be the difference in those close games. He forced defenses to pay
attention to him, and when he wasn’t scoring, he opened things
for others.
After the regular season, he earned second-team All-ACC
honors. More impressively, after theNCAAChampionships,
he earned third-teamAll-America honors by the National
Soccer Coaches Association of America, becoming just
the second All-American in program history.
Behind Acuna, the Hokies won 13 games—the
final three coming at the NCAA Championships.
I love it. I like everything. The school spirit is the thing that I like the most. Everybody is
concerned about the university, and everyone loves being here. Also, the athletic department,
I like it. I love everything about it.
Marcelo Acuna why he transferred to Virginia Tech”
33
Continued on page 34
men’s soccer spotlight marcelo acuna