November 15, 2014
Hokies score four in first half to blank Dayton in NCAA Tournament
Tiernan scores two and assists one to push Tech into the second round
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Dayton (12-9-2) 000
(14) Virginia Tech (15-5) 404
  • Thompson Field - 466
NCAA Bracket Updated Bracket

BLACKSBURG - A huge first half for the 14th-ranked Virginia Tech women’s soccer team propels the Hokies to a 4-0 win over Dayton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday night. With the win, Tech advances to the second round of the tournament for the fourth time in six years.

“I thought we came out firing from the start,” head coach Chugger Adair said. “We were good going forward. We created a number of good chances. The keeper made a few good saves early and I was a little worried it would be one of those nights but Murielle was able to put one away. The game kept flowing and the girls did a good job and played some good, creative soccer.”

The Hokies (15-5) set the tone early in the game, putting a heavy amount of pressure on the Dayton (12-9-2) defense immediately. In the first five minutes, the Hokies tallied three shots and controlled most of the possession.

Sophomore Murielle Tiernan earned the first goal for the Hokies in the 15th minute, using her powerful frame to jumble her way through two Dayton defenders deep onto the Flyers’ side of the field. Once free, Tiernan buried the shot to the right side of the goal past the diving Dayton keeper to put Tech up 1-0.

In the 21st minute, senior Katie Yensen added to the Tech total after Tiernan headed a ball to the slashing Yensen. The senior took two touches and shot a well-placed ball to the left side netting to give Tech the 2-0 lead.

Only a few minutes later, Tiernan put away her second of the game and thirteenth of the year after finishing on a deep ball sent in by defender Jordan Coburn to put the Hokies up 3-0.

Three goals wasn’t enough the Hokies in the first half, and freshman Alani Johnson added to the total with a header off an outside cross from fellow freshman Madi Conyers. Conyers beat two players one-on-one before sending in a cross to the back post for her fifth assist of the year.

It was all Tech in the first half, and the two teams took to the break with the Hokies holding a 8-0 advantage in shots on goal.

The second half had no scoring action and Tech was able to give some of their starters rest in preparation for next week’s second-round game.

Tech’s defense held the Flyers’ offense to only four shots the whole game. The backline of junior Morgan Conklin, senior Jodie Zelenky, junior Jordan Coburn and senior Danielle King was once again successful in keeping the opposing goal scorers at bay.

Tech’s defense has only allowed 13 goals all season and looks poised to set the Tech record for goals allowed in a season. The current record is 20, which came in 2007 and 2012. Tech has also recorded a record-tying 12 shutouts this season.

On the offensive side, Tech broke the record for goals in a season after the Hokies’ four-goal performance gives them 57 on the year, surpassing the previous record of 56 set by last-year’s team.

With the win, Tech advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will play familiar foe Georgetown next Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania.

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