ATHENS, Ga. – The Virginia Tech women's soccer streak of holding its opposition scoreless came to an end versus Auburn on Sunday. However, the Tigers' only goal made no difference in the outcome as the Hokies rolled to a 3-1 victory in the final match of the Bulldog Classic at Turner Soccer Complex.
The Hokies jumped out to two-goal lead in the first half on tallies from Emmalee McCarter and Mikayla Mance, while Kelsey Irwin scored early in the second half to make it 3-0.
Tech (4-0-0) got on the board in 12th minute as McCarter settled a cross from Molly Feighan and found the back of the net. It was McCarter's first collegiate goal and Feighan's first assist at Tech.
Mance made it 2-0 with a strike in the 33rd minute, taking a pass from McCarter and scoring her third goal of the year, fourth of her career. It would turn out to be her second game winner of 2019, third of her career.
In the 52nd minute, the Hokies had a corner kick and the ball, which was punched out by Auburn's goalkeeper Kate Hart, found Irwin who put it away for her first of the year, the sixth of her Tech career.
Four minutes later, Auburn (1-2-0) had a player fouled in the box resulting a penalty kick. Bri Folds converted her second PK of the weekend, which ended the Hokies' shutout streak.
Tech goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn made three saves in the match as she picked up her 33rd victory as a Hokie and improved her record to 33-0-2 when the team gives her a lead at any point in a match.
The Hokies also set a school record by holding their opposition scoreless for the first 326:12 of the season, surpassing the old mark set in 2014 by 3:24. The previous mark for a goalkeeper was 277:38 (Caroline Kelly, 2014) which McGlynn surpassed by almost 50 minutes.
Quick Notes:
- The Hokies start the season 4-0-0 for the eighth time in its 27-year history, and are unbeaten after four for the ninth straight year, and 13th time overall.
- This was the first ever meeting between the two programs.
- The Hokies improved to 10-6-2 against current SEC teams, which includes a 6-2-0 mark in neutral site matches.
- Under Adair, Tech is 60-4-6 all-time in nonconference regular-season matches.
- The Hokies are 5-3-0 on this date, September 1.
- Jaylyn Thompson has now started 54 straight matches, McGlynn 45 straight, Jordan Hemmen 42 and Irwin 38.
- McGlynn has played 3,866:43 straight minutes since the last time she was substituted (Aug. 25, 2017 – 41 straight matches).
- Tech has eight players who have scored a goal already this season (10 goals total – starters four, reserves six), while eight players have tallied at least one assist.
From Coach Adair:
"I'm excited about the result we got here, on the road, because that's a solid Auburn team. After a slow start, we controlled much of the first half, kept the pressure on and deserved the two goals in the first half. I'm pleased with the group and how we got that third goal to start the second half. I was a little disappointed with some sloppy play in the middle part of the second half, to close the game and giving up that penalty that was a little sloppy on our part. This was a difficult weekend in Georgia, facing two SEC teams has been tough for us, but pleased to come out of here with two wins and just really proud of the group as we continue to grow. We'll keep getting ready for conference play and we're excited to come home and test ourselves once again with Alabama."
Up Next:
Tech returns home for its next two matches, staying within the SEC for its next contest – vs. Alabama on Thursday, 7 p.m. at Thompson Field. The Hokies will welcome Yale to Blacksburg for a Sunday match that starts at Noon.