ECU Falls To Va. Tech In Exhibition, 4-1
August 12, 2011 | Soccer
Aug. 12, 2011
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Junior Caty Butler scored from 18 yards out in the 71st minute, but the East Carolina soccer team couldn't hang on as the Pirates fell to Virginia Tech 4-1 Friday in exhibition play.
Trailing 1-0, Butler received a one-time pass from freshman Mackenzie Semerad and placed it in the back of the net at the 70:10 mark for the equalizer.
"I was really pleased with the way we played tonight against a NCAA Tournament caliber team," Pirate head coach Rob Donnenwirth said. "We were able to get everyone some playing time and I think the freshman got a taste of what college soccer is like. But overall I thought we played very well."
"In the first period, our overall possession was really good and I thought we out played them. We had a hiccup in the second period by our backs that lead to their first goal and in the final 35 minutes we were able to get our reserves some game experience."
Virginia Tech's Jazmine Reeves netted the game-winner at the 77:21 mark when she beat ECU's keeper with a shot from 12 yards out that went to the far post.
Shannon Mayrose broke a scoreless tie in the 54th minute when she received a long pass from Jodie Zelenky placing a shot far post from 18 yards out.
Va. Tech got a pair of late goals in the third period when the Pirates cleared house to get the reserves some playing time. Kelly Conhenney's unassisted goal to the upper far post from 25 yards put the Hokies up 3-1 in the third stanza (85:34) and Kelsey Loupee, who was credited with the assist on the Hokies game-winning strike, scored the final goal of the match from 10 yards out on a cross from Katie Cramp in the 101st minute.
The Pirates open the 2011 regular season and their new stadium on Friday, Aug. 19 against nationally-ranked South Carolina at 7 p.m. (ET).
Match Statistics:
Shots: ECU: 8; VT: 18
Corner Kicks: ECU: 1; VT: 6
Saves: ECU 9; VT: 3
