NEWTON, Mass. – The Boston College women’s soccer team lost to No. 23 Virginia Tech 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in an ACC game at the Newton Soccer field. The Hokies scored the lone goal of the game on a penalty kick in the opening minutes of the match.

Boston College is now 4-5-0 overall and 1-3-0 in the ACC.  Virginia Tech improves to 8-1-1 overall and 3-1-0 in the ACC with the win.

Virginia Tech opened the scoring just 2:06 into the game with a penalty kick goal. Katie Yensen scored the goal for the Hokies, burying the ball into the bottom left corner of the net for her first goal of the year.

“I think it was early enough that we all knew we had enough time,” said Eagles head coach Alison Foley about the penalty shot. “I don’t think we reacted with devastation because it happened so early... It was an even game. It’s unfortunate because I thought that Thursday’s game was even as well, but we didn’t come out on the right side of either of them.”

Boston College picked up the tempo in the second half but failed to score an equalizer. Freshman Hayley Dowd had the best look for the Eagles in the second half, with a hard hooking shot from 25 yards out, but VT goalkeeper Dayle Colpitts made a diving save. BC led VT in shots attempted in the second half 7-2.  

Virginia Tech put the pressure on early in the match, and had several opportunities to score. Candace Cephers nearly gave the Hokies a two-goal lead when her bicycle-kick shot from inside the box barely went over the top of the crossbar in the 9th minute. VT had another quality scoring opportunity in the 19th minute when Jazmine Reeves got by Eagles goalkeeper Alex Johnson at the top of the box, but her shot on the open net went just wide.

The Eagles had a chance to get on the board in the first half when Hayley Dowd tried to chase down a lead pass that got behind the defenders, but Colpitts ran out of the net to clear the ball just before Dowd reached it. Casey Morrison also had a chance for the Eagles when she put a direct kick on net from 23 yards out in the 32nd minute, but Colpitts made a diving save to preserve the lead.

Game Notes: During the game the team conducted a raffle to raise money for ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's Disease). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The women's soccer team began its relationship with the local ALS Foundation four years ago, in honor of William Bouchelle, the father of former BC midfielder Julia Bouchelle, who lost his battle to the disease five years ago.