Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Hokies opened the 2026 season with a 2-1 victory over Old Dominion on Thursday evening.
Tech fought back to score twice after going down to the Monarchs early in the first half, thanks to goals from Riley Karpinski and Hannah Pachan.
How It Happened
The Hokies held the momentum throughout the first 15 minutes of play with three shots, but the Monarchs found the opening goal off a Tech clearance that was unable to be settled upfield. They continued down the field before slotting it past Julianna Trujillo.
Ten minutes later, Eliana Salama collected the ball after a 50-50 header in the midfield and played it forward to a streaking Anna Weir down the sideline. Weir cut back on a defender before sending it low and hard across the center of the 18-yard box, where Riley Karpinski met it on the opposite side with a low, well-placed shot past the goalkeeper.
the senior -> freshman connection 🤌#Hokies pic.twitter.com/xPhecoRQWP
— Virginia Tech Women's Soccer (@HokiesWSoccer) August 13, 2026
Tech nearly found the go-ahead goal with five minutes remaining in the first half off a header from Peyton May on a set piece, but Old Dominion’s defender made a stop behind the outstretched goalkeeper, keeping the score 1-1 to end the half.
Heading into the second half, the Hokies once again had the front foot, dominating possession in their attacking half. In the 66th minute, Hannah Pachan found her first goal of 2026 after exiting the 2025 season finale with an ACL injury. Salama beat her defender on the wing before sending the ball to Pachan inside the top of the 18-yard box, where she placed the ball perfectly in the lower left corner to give the Hokies the lead.
seeing no. 5 back on the scoresheet >>>#Hokies pic.twitter.com/JgEYy5F4Eg
— Virginia Tech Women's Soccer (@HokiesWSoccer) August 13, 2026
Game Notes
- Tech opened the season with a win for the sixth consecutive season
- Tech won its home opener for the fourth consecutive season
- Tech improved to 11-3-1 all-time against ODU and 2-1-1 under head coach Chugger Adair
- The Hokies outshot the Monarchs 15-14
- Riley Karpinski scored her first collegiate goal
- Hannah Pachan found the back of the net for the first time in 2026
- Anna Weir and Eliana Salama both recorded assists
- Freshmen Johannah Bradley, Celine Kampmann and Riley Karpinski all made their first career starts
- Transfers Lilli Lubic and Julianna Trujillo made their first starts as Hokies, while Bella Ganiere made her first appearance off the bench
- Adeline Mantie found her first collegiate minutes in the first half
- Salama and Letizia Rossi returned from ACL injuries, playing for the first time since Aug. 31, 2025 against Campbell
- Five Hokies played all 90 minutes, including Weir, Peyton May, Madi Boutot, Ellie Robertson and Kampmann
- Gabby Ciocca played a career-high 44 minutes
Up Next
The Hokies (1-0) host VMI (0-1) on Sunday, August 16 at 6 p.m. on Thompson Field. The game will be televised on ACCNX.