Virginia Tech women defeat Longwood

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The No. 16 Virginia Tech Hokies persevered through inclement weather to claim their
fourth all-time victory over the Longwood Lancers, shutting them out for the fourth time as well. Tech
outed the Lancers 3-0 as freshmen Julia Goldsworthy and Kelsey Mitchell scored their fi rst goals of
the season while senior forward Julian Johnson also added a score. With the win, the Hokies keep their
home winning streak alive, improving to 7-0 at Thompson Field this season.

The Hokies (11-3-0) got out to a 2-0 lead in the fi rst half, powering through non-stop, heavy rain for the
full 45 minutes. Johnson was the fi rst to score for Tech, slipping the ball past the Lancers’ (8-6-0) fallen
keeper, Marcia Biddle, after receiving a pass from Marika Gray, who stormed up the left side of the fi eld
with the ball before crossing it. This was the fourth goal of the season for Johnson and second assist on
the year for Gray.

Just minutes before the fi rst half ended, Goldsworthy netted her fi rst career goal as she received a pass
from classmate Sloane Levin who found Goldsworthy through the crowd near the goal line. The helper
was Levin’s second on the year.

As the rain continued through the second half, the Hokies continued to dominate the Lancers’ end of
the fi eld. Tech took nine shots and three corner kicks to start the half and fi nally scored again in the
69th minute when Mitchell launched the ball from far beyond the 18-yard box, fl oating the ball over
the hands of the Lancers’ new keeper Kyra Byron and into the net. The goal was the fi rst of Mitchell’s
career.

The Lancers came close to scoring in the 75th minute when Ashlee McConnell fi red a shot to the left
side of the net, forcing Tech’s keeper Kristin Carden to stretch out and make a diving save, redirecting
the ball out of bounds. Carden fi nished the match with two saves and saw just two shots in her 81
minutes played as she was relieved in the 81st minute by junior keeper Rebekah Brook.

The Hokies will return to Thompson Field and ACC play on Sunday, Oct. 18, as they host No. 8 Boston College at 1 p.m.