GREENVILLE, S.C. – Led by 10 points (three goals, seven assists) from fifth-year senior Kayla Downey, Virginia Tech blew past Furman, 20-9, on Tuesday evening.
When the dust settled, Downey sat just one assist short of tying Kayla Frank's Virginia Tech single-game assist record of eight (vs. Radford, 2020), while becoming the first Hokies player to put up 10+ points in a game since Frank on that same occasion.
Virginia Tech trailed 2-1 after six minutes, but rattled off seven unanswered goals to cement a lead that would never fall under five for the remainder of the game.
Sarah Gresham, Olivia Vergano and Sydney Golini's efforts on the draw after giving up the first four of the game to Furman played a massive role in the early momentum shift for the Hokies.
Following Claire Schotta's opening goal, first-half hat-trick heroes Paige Tyson, Isa Torres and Vergano found the back of the net for the first time. Downey then scored her first goal of the evening to send Tech into the first quarter break leading 5-2.
Schotta, Torres and Vergano continued their form into the second quarter, while Grace New put her name on the scoresheet for the second game in a row, as well. Caroline Little tacked on one more for her sixth goal of the season.
The Hokies led 15-5 at the break with the help of not only seven different goalscorers, but by forcing Furman into nine turnovers. Defenders Mary Griffin, Molly Dunphey, Zoee Stencil and Golini, along with Jane Brewer and Kayla Downey, made up Tech's eight caused turnovers.
It was much more of the same in the second half defensively, as Tech allowed only four goals in the final 30 minutes.
Senior Lilly Kannapell stepped in to protect the cage and made six saves – the second-most of the season for her.
Marie Cacciabaudo and Ella Rishko became Virginia Tech's eight and ninth goalscorers of the night in the fourth quarter, which tied a season-high (Queens).
The Hokies return to ACC action on Saturday at Thompson Field against Duke, which is coming off a win over a top-25 Harvard side.
Gallery: (3-12-2024) LAX: at Furman