VIRGINIA TECH IMPLODES AGAINST NO. 2 SYRACUSE, 17-10

Jack Brizendine

March 27, 2021

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — With 3:34 left in the first half, Emma Crooks fired in a goal to give Virginia Tech a two-point lead over No. 2 Syracuse, keeping the Hokies in prime position to grab the upset win.

Forty-eight seconds later, the Orange’s Meaghan Tyrrell scored to cut the Virginia Tech advantage to one goal.

The score was the first of a 9-0 run that proved to be too much for the Hokies to overcome, as Virginia Tech (3-6, 0-4) fell to Syracuse (6-0, 4-0) on Saturday night, 17-10.

After starting the game with an early two-point deficit, the Hokies clapped back with two goals from Paige Petty and Grace Nelson.

Another 2-0 Syracuse run over the following minute quickly gave the Orange back the two score advantage.

Displaying great resiliency against a top-ranked conference opponent on the road, Virginia Tech launched in five of the next six goals to snag its largest lead of the game, 7-5.

Syracuse snuck in two scores in the final three minutes of the first half to knot the game up going into halftime, 7-7.

The Orange carried that momentum into the second half, riding on a 7-0 run in the first fifteen minutes after the break to take a seven-point lead over the Hokies.

Sara Goodwin found the back of the net at the 14:33 mark to bring Virginia Tech within six, snapping a sixteen minute scoring drought for the Hokies, but Syracuse scored three of the game’s final five goals to ice the seven-point victory.

Goal-scorers for the Hokies included Caroline Allen, Sarah Lubnow, Crooks, Goodwin, Nelson, and Petty. Crooks had an impressive day in her own right, racking up four scores on the day.

Virginia Tech returns next Saturday to take on Louisville at noon in Blacksburg. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.