Tweet

	1	2	F
Buffalo (4-1-1)	0	0	0
(3) Virginia Tech (8-0-0)	2	3	5
Thompson Field - 499 Box Score Photo Gallery

BLACKSBURG - The third-ranked Virginia Tech women’s soccer team earned their eighth-straight win on Friday night after beating Buffalo 5-0. Sophomore Murielle Tiernan and freshman Madi Conyers scored two goals apiece and freshman Erika Perez added another in the rainy affair.

“I thought Buffalo was a very good side,” head coach Chugger Adair said after the game. “They defended very well, especially in the first half. They were well organized and well coached and they made it tough for us.”

Coming into Friday’s match, the Hokies (8-0-0) were looking to extend their winning streak to eight games when Tech, the fifth-highest scoring offense in the nation, matched up against Buffalo (4- 1-1), an undefeated team that hadn’t given up a goal the entire year. The season shutout for the Bulls, however, ended quickly when they took the field against Tech.

Tiernan began the scoring for the Hokies in the 24th minute when she scored her third header-goal in two games. The play started when freshman Alani Johnson sent a ball wide to junior Morgan Conklin. Conklin sent a cross deep inside the Buffalo territory and Tiernan headed the ball to the goal to put Tech up 1-0.

Tech continued to dominate possession throughout the first half, but it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that the Hokies extended their lead to two when Conyers scored her first goal of her career off of a beautiful cross from senior Danielle King. Senior Katie Yensen sent a pass from the wing back to King, who crossed the ball into the mixer where Conyers was there to finish to put the Hokies up 2-0.

In the 59th minute, Tiernan headed in her second of the game and sixth of the year off of a corner from senior Jodie Zelenky. With Zelenky earning an assist, every field starter for the Hokies has recorded an offensive stat this season.

Only three minutes later, Conyers scored her second of the game. A sequence of passing from sophomore Candace Cephers, junior Ashley Meier and King set up Conyers for a shot only a few yards away from the goal.

With seven minutes to go in the game, freshman Erika Perez got her chance at forward and made the most of the opportunity, scoring her first goal of her career. After crisp passing from freshman Laila Gray and senior Ellie Zoepfl, Perez fired a shot inside the box past the Bulls’ keeper to put the Hokies up 5-0.

Once again, the defense was strong for the Hokie side. Coburn and company held the Bulls to only one shot on goal and one corner kick, and Caroline Kelly earned her fifth shutout of the year.

Both tonight’s game and Tuesday’s against Longwood saw the Hokies score three goals off of headers. They have proved to be a dangerous team in the air with athletic and tall players such as Cephers, Tiernan and Meier crashing the net.

“Murielle is a big strong athlete who has scored some goals with her head over the years, so she’s dangerous, and Candace is always a threat as well,” Adair added. “We’ve got some balanced kids who can score goals with their heads.”

Tech is now 8-0 this season, needing only one more win to match the program-best nine-game winning streak set in 2012. Standing in the way of the streak is East Carolina, who the Hokies will play on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. in Greenville, North Carolina.

For updates on Virginia Tech women's soccer, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_WSoccer