Sally Bull/SPPSAs Virginia's Matt Mitchell looks downfield, Tech freshman defender Jeremy Williams attempts to block the impending kick on Friday.
WOMEN'S SOCCER FALLS SHORT AGAINST FLORIDA STATE
Virginia Tech women's soccer dropped its match against Florida State, 1-3, on Sunday afternoon. The eighth-ranked Seminoles improved to 7-2-1, while the Hokies fell to 5-4-1 (0-1-1 ACC) this season.
The Seminoles got a quick goal in the 15th minute from Rachel Lim who was part of a Florida State offensive attack that out-shot the Hokies 14-3 in the first half.
Tech got on the board in the 34th minute when sophomore Jennifer Harvey scored on a penalty kick, tying the game at 1-1. It was Harvey's second goal of the season to go along with one assist.After the half, Florida State's Sarah Wagenfur was given a penalty kick at the 60:14 mark. She made the most of her opportunity, drilling the kick through the net to give the Seminoles a lead they would not relinquish.
Sophomore Sanna Talonen headed the ball into the net off of a pass from Wagenfur, picking up her sixth goal of the season. The goal gave a 3-1 lead, the final score of the match.The Seminoles took 11 shots on goal, compared to just two for the Hokies.
Freshman Kristen Carden started at goalkeeper for the Hokies, compiling 11 saves for the match, a new career high. After Sunday afternoon's match, Tech is now tied for seventh in the conference standings.
Leading the ACC are the North Carolina Tar Heels and Virginia Cavaliers, both at 2-0.
The Hokies head to Clemson for a match at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, before returning home on Sunday, Oct. 5, to host the N.C. State Wolfpack at 1 p.m.
-- by Justin Long
MEN'S TENNIS NETS KEY VICTORIES
This past weekend, the Virginia Tech men's tennis team traveled to Charlottesville for the UVa Ranked Plus One Invitational. The Hokies did well with several players advancing to play on the final day of the tournament.
The Tech doubles team consisting of senior Nicolas Delgado de Robles and freshman Luka Somen pulled off a major upset when they defeated the No. 33-ranked Houston Barrick and Sanam Singh of Virginia, 8-5, to take home the A-1 championship on Sunday.
This weekend represents the third in a row that a Tech men's doubles team has come home with a significant Sunday victory.The tournament also featured a Hokie/Cavalier duo when junior Pedro Graber from Tech and Sunderland from UVa teamed up to defeat the team of Igor Ogrizek and Ivan Salec from Radford in the A-3 doubles third place match.
The Hokies competed well in the singles bracket this weekend as well. Delgado, who is ranked 75th in the nation, defeated the No. 113-ranked Matteo Fago from Tennessee (6-2, 6-0), in the QF A-1 Backdraw final match. Also in singles action, Graber defeated Lee Singer from UVa easily (6-2, 6-1) in the A-2 round 32 Backdraw final.
Three members of the team will be playing next week in Tulsa, Okla., for the ITA All-American Tournament. Sophomore Sebastien Jacques and senior Brandon Corace will compete in pre-qualifying from Oct. 1-3, while Delgado will play in preliminary action on Oct. 6-8.
They are all qualifying to compete in the main event to be held Oct. 9-12.
-- by Garrett Busic
VOLLEYBALL'S HOT START CONTINUES
The Virginia Tech women's volleyball team had an impressive weekend, defeating the top two teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Clemson Tigers and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
On Friday night, Virginia Tech beat Clemson, the defending ACC champions, in four sets, 18-25, 25-23, 25-17 and 25-23. The Hokies struggled early, dropping the first set to a confident Clemson team.
Virginia Tech did not play well in the second set either, but the Hokies put together a 10-point run late after going down 15-23. That spurt helped steal the set from the Tigers.
After taking the second set, the Hokies dominated the rest of the match against a seemingly deflated Clemson squad.
The following night, Virginia Tech went up against conference powerhouse Georgia Tech, who beat Clemson earlier in the season.
Virginia Tech swept the Yellow Jackets in three close sets, 25-23, 25-22 and 26-24. The Hokies had to battle in each set, but the team came away with the victory.
The two wins this weekend and the win against Virginia on Tuesday evening have propelled the Hokies to the top of the ACC standings. Virginia Tech currently stands with an overall record of 12-2, marking the team's best start in school history.
The Hokies will now go on the road for four straight matches, with games against Maryland, Boston College, North Carolina and North Carolina State. Their meeting with the Terrapins in College Park takes place on at 8 p.m. on Friday.
-- by Joe Crandley
MEN'S SOCCER
The Virginia Tech men's soccer team lost to the Virginia Cavaliers, 2-1, Friday night at Sandra D. Thompson Field.
"Those are tough losses," said head coach Oliver Weiss. "I repeat myself every time after every loss. We played our best match of the season tonight and that's very encouraging. I'm very happy with the performance, but I'm unhappy with the result."
After UVa scored first in the 18th minute, senior captain midfielder Scott Dillie came off the bench. Dillie tied the game up for the Hokies by heading a junior defender James Gilson-assisted ball into the lower left corner of the opposition's goal in the 39th minute.
The teams played well into the second half with a tied score, though there were several opportunities on which the Hokies could have capitalized. UVa, however, untied the game after rebounding a save by Tech junior goalkeeper Stefan Caulfield in the 79th minute.
In a game that saw the Cavaliers commit 15 fouls, it was Tech freshman defender Jeremy Williams who received a yellow card for a rough tackle in the 26th minute.
The teams continued their physical play in the second half on a slick field. The Hokies received a scare in the 67th minute when Gilson had to exit the ballgame, hobbling off on his right foot. He did not return.
Starting his third game of the season, Caulfield made five saves on the night against the Cavaliers who were out shot by the Hokies, 9-13 in the game.
The Hokies will step out of the conference when they host the George Washington Colonials at 7 p.m. tonight.
-- by Ed Lupien
- Sports in brief - Nov. 18
- Photo Gallery: Volleyball vs Maryland
- Volleyball sweeps Terps on Senior Night
