Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team won two games this weekend in the NCAA tournament to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in the program’s history.  

On Friday, Tech took down Murray State 2-0 to advance to the second round off of goals by juniors Marika Gray and Jennifer Harvey. The Racers had only allowed two total goals in their last eight games, including seven shutouts. 

Gray scored the only goal needed early on in the 13th minute to take the lead.

“I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Julian (Johnson) had a great cross,” Gray said. “It felt great to score, but it’s a team effort.”

It was Gray’s eighth goal of the season and first tournament goal ever.

On Sunday afternoon, Tech defeated the Dayton Flyers 3-1 for its second victory of the weekend.

“I think we were really confident because I think that if you focus on yourselves you can constantly control it,” said head coach Kelly Cagle. “We knew that we were a little bit the underdogs. We’ve played that card to ourselves a little, having gone 0-8 against (Dayton) in the A-10 when we were there and then having no losses at home.”

The Hokies handed Dayton its first loss of the season and did so while playing on the Flyers’ home field.

Gray again powered the Hokies to victory, scoring twice for the Hokies. Gray put Tech on the board first in the fifth minute of the game and added her second goal in the 69th minute. Freshman Kelly Conheeney also scored in the 59th minute.

“It was good that I could put us on the board,” Gray said. “Julian hit the ball, and it bounced out somehow, and I think it was just a miscommunication between them, between a player and the keeper, and I just happened to run on it, and I just happened to be there at the right time.

“Robin (Chidester) got a good cross off, and I turned and shot, and the keeper made a great save, and it bounced off of her, and I got it back and was able to score,” Gray said of her second goal.

The Flyers remained scoreless until the 79th minute of the game when Allison Giner scored off of a rebound.

Though the Hokies outscored the Flyers, Dayton out-shot the Hokies 16-15. Tech’s keeper Kristin Carden had a total of five saves.

“We had a great balance of humility and then great confidence,” Cagle said. “They’ve got it in check, and that can be a hard thing to find — to be confident enough but know that you have to work for it.”

The Hokies will face West Coast powerhouse Portland (20-1) next weekend. The team must travel across the country to face the Pilots on their home field. 

Portland’s only loss this season came against Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and the Pilots have made the Sweet 16 in nine straight seasons.