In the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Wednesday afternoon, the No. 19 Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer team defeated No. 10 Wake Forest in Cary, N.C. in a tight overtime matchup.
“Our team just had the will to win today,” said Head Coach Kelly Cagle. “It certainly wasn’t our best, and I’m not sure we were quite as dangerous today as we typically have been, but people stepped up for one another and that’s what team sports is all about.”
The Hokies (14-6-0, 6-4 ACC) and the Demon Deacons (13-5-2, 5-3-2 ACC) remained evenly matched in regulation, with both teams constantly attacking. Each team had close shots on goal, going just wide or just over the net.
The closest scare for the Hokies came in the final seconds of regulation as Wake Forests’ Caitlin Ferrell headed the ball towards the goal and away from Tech goalkeeper Kristin Carden. Luckily for the Hokies, junior defender Kelly Lynch was there to stop the ball just in time and send the game into overtime.
“Those are game changing moments,” Cagle said. “Kelly Lynch changes the game for us in the last five seconds. She breathes new life into it for us and for others to step up and protect that. Certainly, those are unbelievable moments that individuals like that are not going to forget for the rest of their lives.”
In contrast to the Hokies’ 4-3 victory over the Demon Deacons just two weeks ago, this match ended regulation with a score of 0-0.
Despite Wake Forest outshooting Virginia Tech 16-14 on the night, it was the Hokies who would score first in the sudden death overtime period.
Tech controlled the ball from the whistle, not allowing the Demon Deacons to even get a shot off in the overtime period.
Off a corner kick from redshirt sophomore Stephanie Hylton in the 97th minute, the Hokies were able to convert. Standout freshman Kelly Conheeney controlled the ball in traffic and was able to send it to the back of the net, marking her eighth goal on the season.
“I remember (Brittany) Michels and Jen Harvey making the middle run, and then me staying off them a little and the ball just coming,” Conheeney said of her goal. “I chested it down and I volleyed into the top of the net.”
With the win, the Hokies continued their postseason success in the ACC Tournament. Tech advanced all the way to the championship game last season with wins over No. 5 Florida State and No. 12 Virginia, both decided by penalty kicks, before losing to No. 4 North Carolina, 0-3.
The Hokies will face No. 6 Florida State, who defeated Tech 1-2 at Thompson Field on Nov. 1st, on Friday at 5 p.m.
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