Hokies’ Tiernan claims goal-record in 4-2 win over Longwood
BLACKSBURG, Va. (Via Virginia Tech) – Virginia Tech scored two late goals to register a 4-2 win against visiting Longwood in women’s soccer action at Thompson Field on Wednesday night. With the win, the 10th ranked Hokies improve to 4-0-1 on the season, while Longwood falls to 2-2 overall.
In the victory, Murielle Tiernan recorded her 30th career goal to become Tech’s all-time leading goal scorer. She scored on a pass from Ashley Meier in the 19th minute to give the Hokies a 2-0 lead, which they took into the intermission. Tiernan also moves into second place in career scoring at Tech, with 71 total points.
Meier had put the Hokies into an early 1-0 lead, when she scored off an assist from Jordan Coburn in the 13th minute. Following Tiernan’s goal six minutes later, head coach Chugger Adair began to substitute freely in the remainder of the first half. At the beginning of the second stanza, the Hokies started with a completely fresh 11 players on the pitch.
“Overall, I think we took it to them from the start,” Adair said. “I think we were dangerous from the start. I think we could have scored a couple of more goals early on. Meier and Tiernan scored those two goals 15-20 minutes into the game, which was great.”
The Lancers, who did not attempt a shot in the first half, made their first attempt count, as they cut the Tech lead to 2-1 in the 71st minute, as Amber Hodges scored on an assist from Lilly Payne. Longwood quickly followed that with the tying score on a goal from Kelly Almeida on an assist from Sheyenne Stretz in the 76th minute.
The Hokies returned all ten starters to the pitch, except goalie Kaylyn Smith and quickly scored a pair of goals late in the contest. The first was Meier’s second goal of the game, off a pass from Kallie Peurifoy in the 85th minute and the second in the 89th minute on Alani Johnson’s first goal of the season, off of a corner kick by Coburn.
Statistically, the Hokies out shot the Lancers 27-3. Blayne Fink, who entered the game in goal at the half to replace the starter Smith, picked up her first career win for the Hokies. She recorded the Hokies’ only save of the evening.
“It’s a big week for us, as we have three games, so we are trying to rest some legs and get through this week, a difficult week,” Adair added.
The Hokies continue this five-games-in-nine-days stretch on Friday night. Tech will host UNC Greensboro at 7 p.m. at Thompson Field.
