When it rains, it pours!: Hokies remain undefeated in slick conditions

By Kolbjorn Bergstrom

Staff Writer

September 4, 2022

BLACKSBURG — Prior to kickoff, Thompson Field was drenched in rain, giving the field a slick surface for faster ball movement. The weather added another tricky element for Virginia Tech, who started graduate midfielder Emmalee McCarter in net.

But it was Charlotte’s starting keeper whose error cost her team.

A harmless cross from left to right seemed to be a simple grab for Charlotte goalkeeper Emily Keck turned out to be quite the opposite. Freshman Ella Valente took full advantage of the gaffe to grab her first goal as a Hokie and double the second-half lead for the home side.

After a two game-road trip, Virginia Tech (5-0-1) looked to continue its strong start against the visiting Charlotte 49ers (0-4-1), and it did just that, winning 3-0 at Thompson Field Sunday evening.

Entering the matchup, Charlotte had only managed to score two goals while Virginia Tech had scored 14.

“We got our players we had that were healthy and we were in good shape to try and get a result tonight,” Tech head coach Chugger Adair. “Emmalee McCarter stepped up and was willing to play in goal, so she did a great job and was man of the match for us today.”

The 49ers came out to a hot start, getting two great opportunities to take the lead. Inside 10 minutes, Charlotte took the first chance after midfielder Julia Patrum turned the ball over, but McCarther saved the 35-yard shot comfortably.

On the second opportunity, forward Ariana Maibodi was open at the back post. Her shot went across her body and against McCarter’s momentum, but the fill-in keeper made the save — a difficult one even for experienced goalies.

On the other hand, Virginia Tech struggled to create chances. The contest was quite even through the first 45 minutes; however, Virginia Tech maintained its standard of out-pacing its opponent in shots, having seven to Charlotte’s two. The problem was that of the seven shots, only one was on target, and Adair was keen to fix that in the second half.

Charlotte had yet another excellent opportunity six minutes into the second half, as Tash Hudson, Charlotte’s only goalscorer on the season, rang her shot off the top of the crossbar. It was the last scoring chance of the night for the 49ers.

A few minutes following that shot, sophomore Aino Vuorinen created the Hokies’ best chance yet. From the midfield circle she drove through the heart of the midfield without any challenge. Approaching the box, she found forward Tori Powell on her right with a clear view of goal. Powell buried her shot into the bottom left corner and gave her side the 1-0 lead.

“We were talking at halftime that they drop a lot, so when we get the ball on the other side of the field I have a lot of space,” Vuorien started, explaining the leadup to Tech’s first goal. “…I kept that in mind and just dribbled towards their [defensive] line and they just kept dropping and dropping…Then I saw Tori [Powell] in a good spot and it was easy to play.”

The match returned to an even playing field, with Virginia Tech looking much better on offense. The match kept this pace until the last ten minutes, when Virginia Tech found its second goal of the match from Valente.

That would not be the last of the scoring, as Powell sought one more goal. With under four minutes left she moved with a clear intent, cutting in from the left side of the attacking third to outside the box. She ripped a shot from distance that sailed into the left side of the net, putting the finishing touch on a 3-0 victory for the Hokies.

On a three game losing streak, Charlotte will travel back home, looking to pick-up a win against another winless side, Coastal Carolina (0-3-2). Virginia Tech stays at Thompson Field for its next match, as it takes on the unbeaten South Carolina Gamecocks (4-0-2) this Thursday at 6 p.m.

These two non-conference sides played last year, where the Hokies upset the then ranked No 12 Gamecocks, and Adair knows the game will be a test for his side.

“We are going to have to be very organized defensively,” Adair said. “They are going to be the best, most athletic team we’ve played, [the] most attacking-minded team we’ve played.”