Historic Women's Soccer Season Comes to an End

Virginia Tech's women's soccer team set several new program records this year and advanced to the College Cup for the first time in school history.

The Hokies finished the season at 19-5-3 overall and a 9-3-1 conference record, with the 19 wins setting a new high. Tech also set program highs in goals with 56 and six wins over ranked opponents.

Tech also had a program first as forward Jazmine Reeves was named a first-team All-American. The senior scored 11 goals and added five assists in her final season in Blacksburg. Reeves scored two of her 11 goals in a 4-2 win over No. 1 Virginia in the ACC Semifinals, the first loss of the season for the Cavaliers.

On the season, the Hokies opened with five wins and a tie before dropping a tight 2-1 loss to then-No. 1 North Carolina. Following the loss to the Tar Heels, the Hokies reeled off a nine-game unbeaten streak with wins over No. 21 Maryland, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 19 Wake Forest.

Tech had soared to a No. 4 ranking ahead of their match-up with No. 3 Florida State. Florida State was the spoiler on the season, accounting for three of the five losses on the season. In the regular season clash, Dagny Brynjarsdottir opened the scoring for Florida State in the 16th minute and Ashley Meier tied it in the 72nd. Brynjarsdottir put FSU back ahead for good in the 87th minute. Loss number one of the season to FSU.

The Hokies closed out the regular season with a 2-0 loss to Virginia, but defeated No. 19 Notre Dame 2-1 with a goal by Reeves in the second overtime of the first round of the ACC tournament. Tech would then face No. 1 Virginia in the semifinals of the tournament, sending the Cavaliers to their first loss of the year thanks to two goals by Reeves, one from Murielle Tiernan and the capper by Katie Yensen.

The reward for beating No. 1 Virginia? No. 3 Florida State. Brynjarsdottir again provided to be the thorn in the side for the Hokies, scoring the lone goal of a very physical ACC Championship game in the 36th minute. Loss number two of the season to fSU.

But the Hokies regular season and ACC tournament play earned them a top seed and the right to host a regional of the NCAA tournament.

The Hokies opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Maryland-Baltimore County with goals by Shannon Mayrose and Ashley Manning. Tech then hosted No. 12 West Virginia in the next round, with Tiernan scoring in the 60th minute for a 1-0 win.

Tech knocked off No. 9 Santa Clara in PKs with Tiernan (who scored the lone goal in regulation for Tech), scoring the decisive PK to send the Hokies to the next round against Duke. Tech rolled by Duke in the quarterfinals with Yensen, Mayrose and Reeves tallying goals to send the Hokies to their first ever College Cup.

In the College Cup, the Hokies met--you guessed it--Florida State. Tech took the lead first against FSU as Manning corralled a through ball from Kelsey Loupee and slotted it home past Kelsey Wys in the 32nd minute. Just before the half, Kristin Grubka tied the game on a header off a free kick. FSU took a 2-1 lead in the 57th minute on a goal by Jamia Fields after a long throw-in from Megan Campbell sprung Brynjarsdottir down the left flank. Brynjarsdottir threaded a cross through to a wide open Fields, who buried it past Tech goalie Dayle Colpitts.

Tech nearly tied the game in the 67th minute on a shot by Reeves that hit the post but Wys recovered the loose ball. The Hokies broke through in the 79th minute to tie it with a through ball from Manning that Meier blasted past Wys.
FSU took the lead in a heartbreaking way as a cross from Fields bounced off the post and then off the back of Colpitts and over the goal line in the 83rd minute. Tech had several close calls late in the game, with the best coming on a shot by Reeves that hit off the underside of the crossbar and stayed out. Loss number three on the season to FSU. Season over.

But despite the heartbreaking loss in the NCAA Semifinals, the Hokies have no reason at all to hang their heads. They set a new standard for the program and have a lot to build on going into next year with a good number of the starters from this season returning. Hats off to the Tech ladies and head coach Chugger Adair. Congratulations to seniors Reeves, Manning, Colpitts, Taylor Antolino, Katie DeTuro, Emily Siegel and Kelly Conheeney on excellent careers!