BLACKSBURG – On a record-setting night at Thompson Field, Hokie midfielder Emily Gray set an all-time school record with four assists in an 8-2 romp past the Miami Hurricanes on Thursday, Oct. 15.
The eight goals were also a school record, the most ever scored against a league opponent. The six goals in the first half set yet another new school record.
The Hokies lit up the scoreboard early and often, netting four goals through the first 16 minutes of action. Emmalee McCarter and Emma Steigenwald scored their first goals of 2020 off assists from Sydney Ash and Gray, respectively.
Karlie Johnson and Tori Powell then each scored their second goals of the year, as Johnson’s was from Gray, and Powell’s came from Johnson and Gray. It was the fastest the Hokies have ever scored four goals to start a match.
Allyson Brown from Gray and Taylor Bryan from Brown completed Tech’s scoring in the first half, as the six goals marked the most goals ever scored in any half all-time at the school. The previous high was five goals against VMI on Aug. 31, 2004.
Gray broke the school record of three assists in a game, which was accomplished four times and twice by Julian Johnson (2006 and 2008).
Tech (2-6-0, 2-3-0) added two more goals after the break as Makenzie Graham scored off a pass from Johnson and Brown scored her second of the night off a cross from Ava Veith.
Miami (0-5-0, 0-5-0 ACC) tallied one goal in each half.
Additional Notes
Last player with two goals in a game before Brown – Kelsey Irwin, Oct. 24, 2019.
Last player with two goals off the bench before Brown – Murielle Tiernan (2) at William & Mary, Sept. 4, 2016.
Last player with five points in a game before Brown – Laila Gray (2GA) vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 25, 2015.
Last player with three assists in a game before Gray – Kelly Conheeney (3) vs. Clemson, Oct. 13, 2011.
McCarter has started 47 straight matches for the Hokies, the longest active streak on the team.
Grace Sklopan’s streak of minutes played ended after 1,798 consecutive when she did not see any action in the second half. She was Tech’s lone Hokie to play every single minute of the 2020 season (634 straight minutes) entering the night. She had played every minute of the past 19 matches last leaving a game on Sept. 13, 2019, vs. College of Charleston.
Alia Skinner now has 54 saves this season, the most for any goalkeeper eight matches into the season. Over the last eight seasons, the high-water mark for saves was by Dayle Colpitts, who stopped 78 shots in 27 matches.
Skinner entered the night the nation’s leader in saves per game at 8.60.
All-time, the Hokies own a 12-4-4 overall mark against Miami, including a 9-1-2 mark in Blacksburg with six straight wins and a 9-0-1 mark in the last 10 home matches.