Tech taken down by No. 7 Duke on Friday night

DURHAM, N.C. – A questionable foul in the box turned the tide in a scoreless match between No. 7 Duke and the Virginia Tech women's soccer team. The Blue Devils converted the penalty kick attempt and then went on to add a second goal to secure a 2-0 non-conference victory over the Hokies at Koskinen Stadium Friday night.
 
Neither team had a shot on goal in the first half of play, but Duke (3-1-2) quickly forced Tech goalkeeper Alia Skinner to make several saves out of the chute as she recorded three saves in the second half's first 10 minutes.
 
However, in the 66th minute, Duke's Olivia Migli dribbled into the box and appeared to slip as she attempted a shot, but the whistle was blown and the foul was called on the Hokies. Caitlin Cosme was successful on the attempt and gave the Blue Devils the 1-0 advantage.
 
The goal did not deter Skinner, as she made four more saves to keep Tech within striking distance for an equalizer. Emmalee McCarter had a chance to tie it in the 80th minute, but her shot from the right side of the box sailed wide left – one of two shots for the Hokies on the night.
 
The Blue Devils then added an insurance tally in the 84th minute to all but seal the win. Skinner actually made her eighth save of the night on an Emmy Duerr shot, diving to her right, but the rebounded shot was slid across to Delaney Graham right in front of the net for the tap-in.
 
Additional Notes

• For the first time in program history, Tech (1-6-0) has faced seven straight ranked opponents.
• Emmalee McCarter has started 46 straight matches for the Hokies, the longest active streak on the team.
• Grace Sklopan is Tech's lone Hokie to play every single minute of the 2020 season (634 straight minutes). She has actually played every minute of the past 19 matches (1,753 straight minutes), last leaving a game on Sept. 13, 2019 – vs. College of Charleston.
• Skinner now has 51 saves this season, the most for any goalkeeper (in recorded history) seven matches into a season. Over the last eight seasons, the high-water mark for saves ina season is by Dayle Colpitts, who stopped 78 shots in 27 matches.
• Skinner entered the night as the nation's leader in saves per game at 8.60.

Up Next
The Hokies return home for a three-match homestand that starts with their final two ACC home contests of the 2020 regular season. Tech first welcomes Miami to Thompson Field for a 7 p.m. game on Thursday, Oct. 15 followed by hosting currently 13th-ranked Louisville next Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.