VOLLEYBALL SPLITS WEEKEND GAMES
The Tech volleyball team rebounded after two embarrassing losses on the road last weekend, defeating North Carolina State in straight sets on Friday. However, that feeling was reversed when North Carolina swept the Hokies on Saturday evening.
In its match against the Wolfpack, Tech (18-8, 9-6 ACC) came out with a purpose early, taking an 8-2 lead.
NC State rallied late to force a tie at 22, but the Hokies held on, winning 25-23 behind a Kirsty-Blue kill.
In the second set, the Hokies again played well early, developing a solid lead midway through the set, 18-11. NC State again rallied late, pushing the set to 23-22 before eventually losing, 25-22.
Defense was key for the Hokies, holding NC State to just a .200 hitting percentage.
It was more of the same in the early portion of the third set, as the Hokies jumped on the Wolfpack, taking a 10-4 lead and never relinquishing it.
NC State players simply could not score against the Tech defense, finishing the set with a .118 hitting percentage and 11 attack errors.
One night later, Tech fell behind early in its match up with the Tar Heels, who are fourth place in the ACC.
Felicia Willoughby, who killed five of seven attempts in the first set, kept the Hokies alive.
With strong kills by Willoughby and outside hitter Amy Wengrenovich, the Hokies got as close as they would get at the end of the set, bringing the score to 19-21, before losing the next four points to the Tar Heels.
Tech looked strong in the second set. But the Hokies surrendered a lead later in the set and could not catch up.
After the break, North Carolina built a 6-3 lead. Tech kept the score close and took the lead 14-11 after five straight points, but the Heels took control of the set after a few of their own runs.
Tar Heel Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland's kill sealed the deal. Despite Tech's strong play in the middle of each set, it failed to score the last few points necessary for the win.
Tech committed 24 errors, many of which came late in the match.
The Hokies will be in action Friday as they host the last place Boston College Eagles at 3 p.m.
-- by Joe Crandley
WITT, TRAPENI WIN HOKIE OPEN RACES
In the final preparation before the championship season, Tech hosted the Hokie Open this Saturday, solidifying the final spots and rounding out the team for the NCAA Southeast Regionals this upcoming weekend.
Ryan Witt and Jessica Trapeni won their respective races at Tech Cross Country Course.
Witt crossed the finish line first with a time of 19:42 in the 6,100-meter race. Sophomore Matt Saunders followed 13 seconds later to finish third, with sophomore Eddie Judge and freshman Logan Collins coming in fourth and fifth place.
Witt's time was particularly impressive -- one of the best ever on the men's 6k course at Tech.
On the women's side, Trapeni finished the women's 3,920-meter race with a time of 17:42. She ended 11 seconds ahead of teammate and fellow sophomore Lindsey King. Freshman Chrissy Sane also finished in the top five, taking fourth with a time of 19:01.
Trapeni's victory over the weekend was rewarded on Monday, as she was named the ACC Performer of the Week. She follows fellow team member Tasmin Fanning as the second Hokie female to garner this distinction so far this season.
As a team, the Hokie Open consisted of mainly Tech students, with Hokies cross country team, the Triathlon Club and other unaffiliated students running in the race. Three runners also came from Radford to compete. In all, 26 men and 10 women ran on the cold Saturday morning. Tech now has nothing standing in its way before the zenith of its fall season: the NCAA Southeast Regionals, which take place on Saturday in Winston Salem, N.C.
The Hokie men will try to build on their third place finish at the ACC Championships and secure a birth to their first NCAA Championship since 1987.
-- by Matt Collette
MEN'S SOCCER ENDS REGULAR SEASON WINLESS IN ACC
The Virginia Tech men's soccer team lost to the Boston College Eagles, 2-1, on Senior Night at Sandra D. Thompson Field in the Hokies' regular season finale. The loss on Friday gives the Hokies a 5-12-1 overall record and a 0-8-0 in-conference record for the 2008 season.
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hokies loose in mens rugby!! but sith finish in 4th in the really tough marfu which gets em a playoff birth vs. get this penn state again this time in jopavillle game date se sometime in march yikes!!!! also headed to rugby playoffs is our college womens squad which fisnhed 2nd in the state and have a trip in west chester laos in match facin the super colllegiate godlen rams!!!!!!!! bburg post collegite also amde the playoffs too bg ups tooo jimmmy ivory now lets see fi they can come up wiht some conferece hardware!
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