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BLACKSBURG – The No. 17 Virginia Tech women’s soccer team opens its Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) season on the road this week, as the team faces in-state rival No. 5 Virginia on Friday, Sept. 16, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

First kick from Klockner Stadium is set for 7 p.m. The match will be streamed live on the ACC Network Extra through WatchESPN and the ESPN app.

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The Hokies (8-1) were slotted at No. 7 in the ACC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, with senior forward Murielle Tiernan named to the 2016 Coaches’ Preseason All-ACC Team. ACC foe Virginia (7-1) was picked second and owns a 14-3-1 all-time series edge over the Hokies.

The squads did not meet last season due to the ACC’s unbalanced schedule, where each team plays only 10 conference opponents each season. In 2014, the Cavaliers recorded a 2-0 win over the Hokies in Blacksburg.

The last time Tech was victorious against Virginia was at the 2013 ACC Tournament. The Hokies tallied a 4-2 win over the Cavaliers and advanced to the ACC Tournament Finals for the first time since 2008. That same year, head coach Charles “Chugger” Adair led his squad to the NCAA College Cup for the first time in program history.

Tech rides a four-game win streak into Friday’s match. In its last outing, Tech defeated Longwood, 1-0, on Sept. 13, for its third straight shutout in Blacksburg. Tiernan tallied the game winner against the Lancers in the 17th minute, tying junior forward Alani Johnson for a team-best five goals this season.

The Hokie offense ranks No. 15 nationally with 176 shots, totaling an average of 19.56 shots per game. Tech’s offense, led by Tiernan and Johnson with 10 points apiece, shows 16 assists, 20 goals and 56 points, tying for No. 23 in the NCAA.

The Tech defense has held its opponents to a combined 61 shots, with only 31 landing on frame. Freshman goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn leads the Hokie defense with five clean sheets on the season, ranking 40th nationally with a .573 goals-against average (GAA). As a team, the Hokies rank No. 33 in the NCAA with a .558 GAA, and is just seven shutouts short of matching the program single-season record of 12.

The Cavaliers are coming off their first loss of the season, falling to then-ranked No. 20 Georgetown, 3-2, on Sept. 11. Offensively, Virginia has scored 25 goals through eight matches to average three goals per game. Junior forward Veronica Latsko leads the way with six goals, followed by senior midfielder Alexis Shaffer with four.

Fans can follow all the action during each match of the 2016 season by following the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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