virginia tech outlasts wake forest on the road

Patrick Campbell

October 29, 2020

WINSTON-SALEM - Virginia Tech bested Wake Forest on the road Thursday night 4-3 behind fantastic performances from Emily Gray and Tori Powell.

Tech scored two goals in the first half but one of those was in the back of its own net.

The Hokies got on the board first when forward Tori Powell forced a turnover and scored from 14 yards out in the 10th minute. Wake Forest responded in the 15th minute when midfielder Sofia Rossi had her shot blocked but eventually found the back of the net off a Tech defender to tie the game at one apiece.

Virginia Tech and Wake Forest traded blows in the second half. Midfielder Emily Gray scored her second goal of the season in the 48th minute on an assist from Powell to put the Hokies up 2-1, but Wake Forest answered in the 67th minute on a free kick from midfielder Sophie Faircloth to knot the game up at two.

Eleven minutes later, the Demon Deacons took their first lead of the game in the 78th minute when Faircloth scored her second goal off a rebound to put Wake ahead 3-2.

The Hokies responded quickly, equalizing one minute later on a header from forward Allyson Brown from a Gray free kick.

In the 84th minute, just six minutes later, Powell scored the game-winner for the Hokies with her second goal of the contest. The freshman from Haymarket, Va. collected her own rebound to put Tech ahead 4-3.

Virginia Tech held on for the remaining few minutes and to win its second consecutive match against the Demon Deacons. The Hokies have not lost to Wake Forest since 2014 and are 6-1-2 under head coach Chugger Adair.

Virginia Tech (4-7, 3-4 ACC) will head on the road to face Boston College at 1:30 p.m. for their last regular season match, while Wake Forest (2-5-1, 2-4-1 ACC) will have its senior day against Pittsburgh on Sunday at 1 p.m.