Hokie ClubCLEMSON, S.C. – In the ACC Women's Soccer opener for both Virginia Tech and Clemson, the Tigers scored three second-half goals, two by Caroline Conti, to defeat the Hokies 3-0 at Historic Riggs Field on Thursday night.
Tech's freshman goalkeeper Alia Skinner made seven saves in the game, including five in the first half to keep the match scoreless at the break. Her first save of the night came in the 11th minute, when she stopped a penalty kick by Clemson's Maliah Morris.
In the 55th minute, the Tigers finally beat Skinner, but it was more due to the weather. Clemson's Harper White chipped a ball towards the net, which Skinner came out to catch, but the ball slipped through her gloves and dropped down behind her. In her effort to reclaim it, she was able to push it away from the goal line, but Conti was there to tap the ball in to give her team the 1-0 lead.
Clemson (2-0, 1-0 ACC) would strike again 12 minutes later when Mariana Speckmaier collected a loose ball on a turnover and dribbled up the right side. Her cross deflected off a Hokies' defender and into the goal to give the home side a two-goal lead.
Tech had several chances after that, with Emmalee McCarter getting a shot on goal, Grace Sklopan, Victoria Haugen and Taylor Bryan taking shots and Emily Gray with a free kick attempt from 24 yards out. However, none would beat Clemson goalkeeper Hensley Hancuff, as she posted a shutout.
With 21 seconds left, Conti found the back of the net again after Skinner's deflection of a shot from the left corner hit the crossbar and landed at her foot and she put another one away.
Additional Notes
- McCarter has started the last 41 straight matches for the Hokies, the longest active streak on the team.
- The Hokies started five freshmen in the match – Skinner, Bryan, Haugen, Tori Powell and Averi Visage – while Erin Carleton came in as a sub.
- The last time Tech started five freshmen in a match was, ironically, versus Clemson on October 21, 2018 when current juniors Kiersten Hening, Karlie Johnson, Gray, Sklopan and McCarter were all in the starting lineup, while a total of seven played in the game (Molly Feighan and Emma Steigerwald).
- Skinner's seven saves in the game is the most by a Tech freshman goalkeeper in a match since Dayle Colpitts stopped 11 shots in a 5-3 loss at No. 11 Texas A&M on Aug. 27, 2010.
Coach's Comments
"Tonight was a difficult match on the road at Clemson, a very good, athletic, physical team," head coach Chugger Adair said. "I think we played fairly well, and a really solid first half. The team was well organized and bought in and did a better job of possessing the ball and showed some improvements from last week. Starting five freshman tonight, we were pretty young, but as the game went on I think we were in the match. I was disappointed with the result. We gave up a goal off a miscue off the corner, then the own goal to follow put us in an uphill climb from there. I'm pleased with a number of the players who worked hard tonight and how our team has bought into the whole game plan. I was disappointed we didn't take a chance or two, because I feel like we had a couple golden opportunities that we didn't bury. That will just have to come as we continue to gain experience with our young group and they get more minutes played."
Up Next
The Hokies (0-2, 0-1 ACC) will stay on the road and continue league play with a match at North Carolina on Sunday with kickoff slated for 1 p.m.