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October 1, 2019
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Duke beats Virginia Tech 45–10 in worst home loss in 45 years SEE PAGE 8
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PAGE 2 October 1, 2019
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editor@collegiatetimes.com
ZACK WAJSGRAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Impeachment inquiry may help Trump campaign
H
Many harbor false hope that President Trump will be impeached, but the proceedings may actually benefit him.
istory tells us that Donald Trump will not be impeached; in fact, the president may use the impeachment probe to his advantage in the 2020 election campaign. In a scathing 12-page report released Thursday, Sept. 26, by an unknown “whistleblower,” the declassified report outlines Donald Trump’s attempt to convince Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide incriminating information on Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. In the report, the whistleblower describes an uncorroborated claim that “Joe Biden asked the general prosecutor of Ukraine to quash a criminal probe into an energy company in which his son was a member on the board.” There’s speculation that Trump intended to use this information to hurt Biden in the upcoming election cycle, and Trump did something similar with Hillary Clinton by making voters question her credibility to hold office regarding her private email account. This report is an unprecedented, “Nixon-like” situation. Additionally, the report reveals that Trump may have obstructed justice by attempting to hide the official transcript of the July 25 phone call between himself and Zelensky. The report acknowledges that “the transcript was loaded into a separate electronic system that is otherwise used to store and handle classified information of an especially sensitive nature.” It has also been speculated that Trump has used this electronic
system in the past to store sensitive political content which is not related to classified national security information for which the coded system is intended. Evidence from the report also suggests that Rudy Giuliani, the president’s lawyer, was also involved in the collusion scandal. Rudy Giuliani reportedly visited with with Andriy Yermak, one of Zelensky’s advisors, in Madrid last month to discuss the contents of the phone call. From these detailed accusations and accounts against the president, it seems that Trump has grossly overstepped his presidential powers by fixing the upcoming election while attempting to cover it up in the process. In his defense, Trump has unsurprisingly reverted back to his disparaging language toward the “fake news” media, calling the whistleblower a likely fraud and phony. Trump also seemed to threaten the whistleblower at a White House press briefing, saying, “You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart? Right? The spies and treason, we used to handle it a little differently than we do now.” Trump’s offhand remark is deeply concerning considering that he is currently facing impeachment charges. Although the president should probably be impeached for his recent actions, history tells us that this outcome is extremely unlikely. No United States president has ever been impeached while in office, although it has come close in the past.
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President Nixon formally resigned over the “Watergate Scandal,” Andrew Johnson was one vote short of being voted out by the Senate, and Bill Clinton was later acquitted from impeachment charges once his case reached the Senate. It is extremely unlikely that Trump will be formally impeached, and “every president since Ronald Reagan has been threatened with impeachment by members of the House, including Trump, who faced three separate resolutions for impeachment in 2017.” The “whistleblower” report, while extremely detailed and well-written, also has some red flags to consider. For example, the whistleblower admits that “I was not a direct witness to most of the events described.” Additionally, no members of the Republican party have said they support the impeachment investigation, and the House
requires a two-thirds majority to proceed with the impeachment charges. If we look back to 2016, Trump was also able to successfully avoid the scandal that occurred between him and President Vladamir Putin regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election. I would be shocked to see Donald Trump be formally impeached by Congress. I have a strong suspicion that when this is all said and done, Trump will be able to use these impeachment hearings to his advantage by attacking the “fake news media” and the Democratic party to appeal to skeptics.
CONRAD FAETT • opinions contribuor • junior/political science
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news
October 1, 2019 PAGE 3
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Hokies analyze Congress’ impeachment inquiry Politically involved students and faculty of Virginia Tech explain impeachment proceedings and weigh in on the impact. ASHLEY LONG editor in chief
House Spea ker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday, Sept. 24 that the House of Representatives is moving forward with a formal impeachment inquiry of President Trump. “The actions of the Trump presidency revealed dishonorable fact of the president’s betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections,” Pelosi said in an official statement at the Capitol. “Therefore, today I’m announcing the House of Representatives moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.” Support has been building for impeachment proceedings amid recent allegations that President Trump put pressure on a foreign leader to open an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden’s family. The Washington Post reported Tuesday, Sept. 24, that Trump ordered the withholding of military aid to Ukraine a week before his scheduled July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On that July 25 call, the Post reported that Trump “pressed the leader of Ukraine to investigate the son of former vice president Joe Biden.” President Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations that the withholding and the call had any connection. He revealed Tuesday in a tweet that he had authorized the release of the transcript from his call with Zelensky. Pulaski County, Giles County, Floyd County and Roanoke County all voted in favor of Donald Trump while Montgomery County and Radford City voted in favor of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. “If Speaker Pelosi finds that this is the right move, then we’re going to support her,” said Rebecca Trinh, president of the Young Democrats at Virginia Tech. “If we think there is damning evidence, we have to investigate it, and I think she’s making the right move in this situation.”
While the Young Democrats support Pelosi, Trinh feels it’s important to remind the public of the impending elections and the need to stay involved. “Regardless of the outcome, I think we have to remember this isn’t an end-allbe-all for the democrats,” Trinh said. “Just because impeachment proceedings are starting, whatever the result is, that doesn’t mean that’s going to solve our issues. We have to remember to stay engaged and involved and make sure we turn out to vote.” The College Republicans at Virginia Tech declined to comment on the matter. Next steps Even though it’s still early in the process, it can’t hurt to lay out what’s supposed to happen next. “Were the articles of impeachment to be put on the floor of the House, then there would be a debate on the floor of the House as to whether to vote to impeach the president on one or more of those articles,” said Karen Hult, a professor in the Department of Political Science at Virginia Tech. “If the vote is ‘yes’ to impeach on one or more articles of impeachment, it has to be approved by a majority of the members of the House.” Hult explained that the next step, according to the constitution, would be that the proceedings would move to the United States Senate. However, there is debate right now about whether that step is necessary. “If one looks at the plain language of the constitution, it simply says that may try the president on the articles of impeachment,” Hult said. “It does not use that term ‘shall.’” The decision of whether it goes to the Senate or not would ultimately be up to Republican party Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who also has say over the rules of the debate on the Senate floor, suchfloor such as how long it is. “If it goes to the Senate for a conviction trial, then representatives of the House are in essence the prosecutors,” Hult said. “They come over and they manage the
debate in the Senate.” While the House members would manage the debate, under the constitution, Chief Justice Roberts of the Supreme Court would preside over the debate. However, Roberts is only allowed to rule on rules of evidence. Effect on the NRV “We’ve already seen that members of the Virginia congressional delegation have taken positions on this,” Hult said. “The only one who has not taken a position is Ben Cline,” who is a representative for the 6th congressional district. The representative for the 9th district that includes Montgomery county, Morgan Griffith, came out on Trump’s side, saying he is exhausted of the Democratic party’s
insistence on impeaching Trump. “Only time will tell whether there is merit to their latest charge, or if the Democrats are yet again crying wolf when there is no wolf,” Griffith said in a statement. “This could have an impact on the state legislative elections,” Hult said. “How? I think in terms of turnout. Is this going to mobilize democrats even more than they’re already mobilized, or is it going to mobilize republicans to turn out?” It has yet to be seen whether proceedings will move past the impeachment inquiry, but the public should learn more in the weeks and months to come.
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PAGE 4 October 1, 2019
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The Milk Parlor continues salsa nights tradition General manager Michelle Berry hopes to have live entertainment every night at the restaurant, including salsa nights. ALYSE JOHNSON news staff writer
A new restaurant, The Milk Parlor, has opened in downtown Blacksburg where Sycamore Deli used to be. The restaurant is focused on bringing live music and entertainment, as well as a new sandwich menu, to the Blacksburg community. The Milk Parlor is a music venue with a full service bar and restaurant that opened Aug. 9. With the recent launch of its website and a new layout of the space, “the atmosphere and layout are a lot cooler than Sycamore Deli,” said Michelle Berry, general manager. The restaurant opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and provides lunches and to-go menus as an option. Some of the most popular sandwiches include a variety of grilled cheeses, Reubens, capris and a popular favorite called the “Spicy Redneck,” which is a pulled pork sandwich served on French bread. With a smaller menu of about 10 options, Berry believes that it will be a great change from Sycamore Deli’s previous 100+ food options. “I think having the smaller menu helps,” Berry said. All of the melts are served on garlic bread, unless the customer opts for other breads or vegan options, like vegan cheese. The Milk Parlor staff likes to ask customers for suggestions on the menu items as well. Additionally, while the restaurant already holds different music or dance events every night, Berry is working on having live music events held every night.
TAYO OLADELE / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Milk Parlor, which recently opened up in downtown Blacksburg, Sept. 25, 2019.
“There will be an event Monday through Saturday no matter what, once we get into the swing of things,” Berry said. “We would like to get all different types of crowds to come down.” Upcoming events include dance nights, open mic nights featuring The Comedy Conglomerate at Virginia Tech and a large variety of local bands spanning several genres, such as the Bumpin’ Uglies and Sidewalk Slam, which is a group that combines hip hop and banjo playing in its music. The Milk Parlor expects some of the bands to cover artists like G-Space, Speakeasy and Grateful Dead. There is a $3 cover for the bands.
In addition, The Milk Parlor is continuing one of Blacksburg’s favorite traditions from Sycamore Deli: Salsa Night Wednesdays. They will be held every Wednesday night from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., with an hour-long Salsa lesson at the beginning of each session. Chapman Pendery, a junior majoring in computer science, has been to The Milk Parlor multiple times and recently went to a Salsa Night. He said it was a blast and recommends the restaurant tofor anyone. “I used to go to Sycamore like once a week, it was like my favorite place at Tech,” Pendery said. “(The food at The Milk Parlor) was ... like a boujee grilled
lifestyles
cheese ... and definitely different because in Sycamore there were tons of options. But, I wouldn’t say it was a bad change.” Pendery also had friends who participated in restaurant’s Open -Mic Nnight and who also loved the new atmosphere. “I still think it’s definitely a nice bar, I see that the patrons are still really passionate about the place,” he said. “I’d say it’s the same place, but completely different vibes.” Moreover, Samantha Shamim, a senior majoring in religion and culture, also went to The Milk Parlor for Salsa Night toward the beginning of the semester. While she didn’t try the food and doesn’t drink, she said she would still recommend the place to people. “I did like The Milk Parlor a little more,” Shamim said. “I liked the new decor, and it was a pretty safe atmosphere.” As The Milk Parlor staff gets into the swing of things this year, they are trying to get the word out about their business. “It takes a lot for people to walk down here,” Berry said. “We’re one of the only downstairs bars besides The Cellar, and I don’t think people are necessarily aware.” The Milk Parlor will also be available for the public to rent out on Fridays, for any reason, such as for date parties. The public can go to The Milk Parlor’s Facebook page, @TheMilkParlorBlacksburg, for information about renting the space, the menu, hours and purchasing tickets for music events.
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Farewell to War Memorial: An ode to the Virginia Tech icon As War Memorial Hall closes its doors for remodeling, our writer reflects on the memories made in the gym.
JULIA FRANCIS lifestyles contributor
War Memorial Hall, known as the stuffy, cramped gym located in the basement, is closing its doors this
December for renovations that will last until the fall of 2021. The renovation will be massive, with additions like wellness centers, classrooms and even another floor. The gym will gain more space, better equipment
and, yes, air-conditioning, but the renovated War Memorial Gym may never be able to fill the void of the charming and shambly original. Though many will welcome the new version with open arms, the impression
and reputation made by the original’s will be gone but never forgotten. Let’s reminisce by walking through a typical yet simultaneously special trip to the
WAR / page 5
editor@collegiatetimes.com from page 4
soon-to-be old gym. Upon walking into War Memorial Hall, the welcoming smell of chlorine is overwhelming and pungent. An observatory window displays the Olympic-sized pool on the lower floor, which is somehow rarely in use. There’s a deserted quality to the main floor, save a singular gym employee overseeing indoor court rentals for basketball, volleyball and racquetball. Walk past the sound of sneakers squeaking on the courts and down the stairs as the warm, sweaty air amplifies and wraps you in a warm embrace. Behind a small booth at the bottom of the stairs are the warm and friendly faces of the gym staff. Swiping your Hokie Passport with a smile, they beckon you into the sauna-like cardio room. Upon entering, you wonder how it is physically possible to fit even a few pieces of equipment into such a small room. You also wonder how any of these people are able to move for more than 30 seconds in the stuffy air. There is no telling how crowded War will be, so hopefully you can snatch a machine. You may notice that one treadmill feels faster than another at the same programmed speed or a part on one of the ellipticals is prone to falling off. Some may say this is dangerous, but really it adds a variety you just can’t get at any other gym; you never know what you’re going to get. Along these lines, if you look around, you’ll see that while there are a lot of students, there are also a lot of Virginia Tech staff; people who are likely much older than you. You may even see one of your professors on the erg machine, knocking out intervals right next to you. Try not to openly express your horror; it’s all part of the experience. If you’re looking to distract yourself from the heat and pungent smell, be sure to download any form of entertainment to your phone prior to descending into the gym. The subterranean location of War rarely allows for any kind of wireless connection to reach gym-goers. There are, however, several televisions set up that are tuned to various news and sports channels, offering images and closed captioning that definitely do not correspond to one another. Or you could look around the gym and judge the choice of clothing in the room. T-shirts, shorts and regular workout clothes are expected; but full length thermal leggings? In this
collegiatetimes.com environment? And jean shorts? The lack of dress code and diversity of style choice is beautiful to behold. Once you’ve finished your workout, you will need to mop up your area. There aren’t any pre-soaked antibacterial wipes to sanitize your machine, but some good old-fashioned paper towels and a bottle of disinfectant instead. The experience of cleaning your sweaty residue may seem humbling, but it is really a badge of honor; you worked hard and everyone in the gym can tell. Either way, you’re proud, and you finish your workout feeling as though the gym staff, your fellow students and even your professors are proud of you too because more than anything else, War Memorial Gym’s close quarters create a community. Other gyms boast of shamelessness and anti-gymtimidation, but War Memorial Gym is somewhere you can truly find ease. It is difficult to imagine the renovated version coming close to the tradition and compraderie that has grown since War’s conception. All the broken machines, awkward interactions with gym goers and especially copious amounts of sweat have created an identity for a building that has been around since 1926. But you can definitely tell that it’s almost been 100 years since it was built. Yes, it’s time for a change, and no amount of sentimentality or nostalgia can stop it. Let’s hope, if nothing else, the air conditioner works.
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study break
October 1, 2019 PAGE 5
FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 1, 2019
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Fisherman’s __: waterfront district in San Francisco 6 Police HQ alerts 10 Sushi bar sauce 13 Swiss mathematician 14 Soft palate dangler 15 “t,” in “btw” 16 Golf tournament won by Shane Lowry in 2019 18 Cavity-fighting org. 19 “Easy Rider” actor 21 eharmony profile part 24 Entry point 25 With 31-Across, “The Aviator” Oscar nominee 26 Maxim 28 Pequod crew 31 See 25-Across 32 Tidy (up) 34 Stocking experts, and what 16-, 19-, 51- and 57-Across literally are 38 Give as a task 39 Office notice 42 Govt. drug bust, perhaps 45 Post-workout refresher 47 __ mater 48 TriBeCa neighbor 50 “__ Blinded Me With Science”: 1983 hit 51 Baltimore-based medical school 56 “Sands of __ Jima”: 1949 film 57 “Fingers crossed!” 61 Country star McGraw 62 Gas brand BP relaunched in 2017 63 Less prevalent 64 Had chips, say 65 Fail to notice 66 Washington, e.g. DOWN 1 Spider’s creation 2 “Ben-__” 3 Baba in a cave
10/1/19
By C.C. Burnikel
4 No longer working: Abbr. 5 Curly-haired “Peanuts” character 6 To have, in Paris 7 Baby seals 8 “Yuck!” 9 Twins infielder Miguel 10 Rice, in Chinese cuisine 11 “My goodness!” 12 Hankers (for) 14 “Hmm ... not likely” 17 Winter flakes 20 Capital of Sicily 21 Fluffy wrap 22 “__ be darned!” 23 Vegas calculation 27 Like most of northern Africa 28 Little songbird 29 Drillmaster’s syllable 30 Opening day pitcher, typically 32 Icy road worry 33 Cribbage piece 35 Mama bear, in Seville 36 Omega preceder
Monday’s Puzzle Solved
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
37 Puts a Singer to work 40 “Not really a fan” 41 Mined metal 42 Sizzling Tex-Mex fare 43 Fail epically 44 Shout from the foyer 45 __ Tzu: toy dog 46 Advanced student’s course
10/1/19
48 Contractor’s parameters 49 “Yeah, and ... ?” 52 Fancy pillowcase 53 Prefix with sphere 54 Gold medals, to Spaniards 55 Quarrel 58 Nest egg acronym 59 “Nothing but __”: “Swish!” 60 College sr.’s test
PAGE 6 October 1, 2019
BT stereotypes: Passengers and scenarios you encounter every day
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editor@collegiatetimes.com
From the armpit dude to the party bus, each time you ride Blacksburg Transit is sure to be an interesting and memorable experience. BRANDON ALIMANESTIANO lifestyles staff writer
Oh, where do I even begin here? It’s 10 m inutes before your midterm, Blacksburg weather played tricks on you and now you’re sweating profusely on a bus that’s so packed a fire marshal would faint. All of a sudden this guy on a bicycle decides it’s the perfect time to tediously load his contraption on the front of the bus as if he has no other method of transportation. Of course he had to come in right next to you and basically shove his armpit near your face. Blacksburg Transit is the preferred (and only) method of transportation for many of us who don’t want to pay President Timmy hundreds of our dollars for a parking pass. It has its ups and downs, its lefts and rights and plenty of stops and starts. Now, I don’t want to generalize, but that’s exactly what I am going to do here: expose all the stereotypes encountered on the BT. The line cutter I’m sure we have all been waiting at a bus stop with a massive crowd of like-minded people. All of us have waited patiently for the bus in a concentrated mob that, of course, embraces a “first come first serve” mentality, ready for wherever this bus will take us. Then some scumbag — I mean “person” — just blatantly walks past all of us right as the bus comes into the stop. Then they have the audacity to just walk onto the bus before everyone else. There they are two minutes later, sitting in an actual seat enjoying the air conditioning.
ANISHA KOHLI / COLLEGIATE TIMES
The UMS bus leaves Burruss Hall, Sept. 28, 2019.
The bicyclist The Blacksburg Transit buses come equipped with bike racks on the front ends for some strange reason. This is specifically so people who already have an adequate form of transportation can delay your departure time and take up valuable
Armpit dude For some odd reason, these people love to stand on the bus and grab the upper rail. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but these people seem to strategically place their armpits toward other people’s heads.
“Blacksburg Transit is the preferred
(and only) method of transportation for many of us who don’t want to pay President Timmy hundreds of our dollars for a parking pass.
”
real estate. That’s like buying a hybrid car to reduce emissions, except you don’t drive it and instead have it towed by a flatbed truck everywhere you go.
Maybe one day they will understand that ungroomed armpits aren’t the sight or smell that students want to experience on their way to class.
The phone conversation person What’s a better way to make everyone know you have friends than having a full volume phone conversation on the bus? This person seems to specifically flex their social status on the bus by getting on for the sole purpose of having a phone conversation. Of course, they talk on speaker with their air pods, which is the modern equivalent to the Bluetooth ear-clip people from the late 2000s.
The awesome bus driver They always have some cool radio show or podcast playing. They always want to make conversation with you. In fact, they’re so nice that you actually feel obligated to say “thank you” — and it makes you feel good on the inside. The scary bus driver They always seem a bit unsettled. These bus drivers get relatively angry when
nobody is taking their backpacks off. They always seem like they are about two steps away from rage quitting the BT and leaving one of us to complete all their stops.
The party bus Ah, freshman year. Late night shenanigans have led to your departure on a crowded bus filled with people who aren’t just on their phones. It’s a very fun experience, until you realize you have no knowledge of the bus routes and someone throws up.
The full bus Waiting for the bus to finally arrive only to see it blast by you at the speed of sound is crushing. In fact, it’s so crushing that it made you go right back to your bed and skip the 9 a.m. you “totally wanted to go to” that day. You may fit one of these hilarious stereotypes. Heck, I’m several of these, but I’m sure we can all laugh it off in the end, unless you’re armpit dude. Please change your ways.
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sports
editor@collegiatetimes.com
collegiatetimes.com
October 1, 2019 PAGE 7
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Men’s and women’s cross country dominate Alumni Invite at home Senior Sara Freix won her first career race with a 20:45.8 time in the women’s 6k. Sarah Edwards finished in third. HANNAH BALLOWE sports staff writer
Both the Virginia Tech men’s and women’s cross country teams won their respective races on Friday at the Alumni Invite on Virginia Tech’s own Buford Meredith Cross Country Course. This meet was also the first Hokies4Hokies event, where students could win a free T-shirt for attending, as well as enter their names into a raffle for a cooler if they attend three total Hokies4Hokies events. The men’s team was led by four-time ACC champion and th ree-time All-American Peter Seufer, a redshirt junior, who took third overall in the 8-kilometer race with a time of 24:44.3. Seufer was followed closely by redshirt junior Jack Joyce, and ACC steeplechase champion Fits Seyoum, who finished fourth and fifth respectively. Bashir Mosalev-Lo, the 2019 ACC 800-meter champion and a two-time second team All-American finished in eighth, while Will Griffen crossed the line only seven seconds later to take 10th place. The Hokies took the win over a field of talented teams including ACC teams Florida State, Clemson and Miami. Virginia Tech scored 30 points to top Florida State’s second-place finish of 35 points.
On the women’s side, senior Sara Freix took home her first career win in a cross country race, crossing the line in 20:45.8 to beat Clemson’s Logan Morris, who ran 20:50.1. Freix was followed closely by four-time ACC Champion and four-time All-American Sarah Edwards. The senior ended up finishing in third. Kyra Lopez, a fifth-year transfer from Boise State who was All-Region in the West region, finished in fourth place. Freshman Lindsey Butler and Junior Ellie Brush rounded out the top five for the Hokies, coming in sixth and eighth. The Hokie women finished with 22 points, handily beating the second-place Duke Blue Devils, who finished with 55 points. Other teams in attendance from the ACC included Clemson and Miami. Both cross country squads will be back in action on Oct. 19 in Terre Haute, Indiana, for the Pre-Nationals Invitational, and on Nov. 1, the Hokies will host the ACC Cross Country Championships.
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Women’s soccer loses second-straight ACC match against Clemson After losing to top-ranked Virginia on Thursday, Virginia Tech lost again on the road against No. 9 Clemson 3–1. ROBBY FLETCHER sports editor
After losing 2–0 to top-ranked Virginia on Thursday for its first loss of the season, Virginia Tech couldn’t bounce back against another top 10 divisional foe in the Clemson Tigers. Tech’s 3–1 loss at Clemson was just its second loss in as many games after starting the season on a nine-game winning streak. The No. 9 Tigers were in need of a statement win like the Hokies after they got outplayed by No. 6 Florida State on Thursday 2–1. They got exactly that by scoring the first three goals of the game, two of which were just three minutes apart in the second half, to make sure the Hokies were never within reach to grab a road victory. Freshman Caroline Conti started off the scoring for Clemson with a rebound off a shot by fellow-freshman Hal Hershfelt in the eighth minute. Goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn was able to stop Hershfelt’s strike, but Conti was well-positioned for what would end up being her second goal of the season. The rest of the half was scoreless, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The Tigers outshot the Hokies 15–2 in the first half and consistently held possession of the ball in the attacking half. That domination didn’t stop after the break as Clemson outshot Tech 11–3 in the second half.
It wasn’t until the 60th minute that Clemson scored its second goal, another rebounded finish courtesy of freshman Maliah Morris. That score was followed by another just three minutes later to triple the Tigers’ lead. Junior Kimber Haley’s 25-yard goal would be the finishing blow to Tech’s chances at coming back. Tech did manage to find the back of the net late in the game when Nicole Kozlova was awarded a penalty kick after Jordan Hemmen was fouled inside the box. It was Kozlova’s fifth goal of the season, the most on the team this season. It was a tough match for the Hokies all-around, though McGlynn showed why she’s one of the best goalkeepers in the ACC, tying her career-high with 11 saves during the game. The last time she recorded that many was against Notre Dame in 2018. The Hokies will get some much-needed rest this coming week after facing two top 10 opponents. Their next two games will be no easier, though, as they take on No. 10 Duke in Blacksburg on Sunday at 2 p.m. and then No. 6 Florida State on Oct. 10. Tech was shut out by both teams when they played them last season. Clemson will have its hands full with No. 4 North Carolina when they play on Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in Chapel Hill.
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PAGE 8 October 1, 2019
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ACC Coastal foe Duke obliterates the Hokies in a devastating primetime blowout loss at home
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Duke Blue Devils’ quarterback Quentin Harris (18) attempts to run outside on the Virginia Tech defense as Alan Tisdale (34) attempts to tackle him at Lane Stadium, Sept. 27, 2019.
The game marks Tech’s biggest blowout at home since 1974 and the first loss to Duke since its 45–43 defeat in 2015. CLAIRE CASTAGNO assistant sports editor
Virginia Tech football got its first shot at securing the ACC Coastal title on Friday night: a primetime game in Lane Stadium against Duke. The Blue Devils were Tech’s first real test since the loss to Boston College on Aug. 31. Going into the game, Duke quarterback Quentin Harris held the No. 12 spot in ESPN’s quarterback ratings with a pass completion percentage of 72.5%. Pressure all around the field was necessary to stop him and Virginia Tech’s defense came up with two quarterback hurries in the first half, but began to deteriorate in the second half. It allowed Duke to execute many big plays, giving up 234 rushing yards. Virginia Tech only managed 259 total yards. Virginia Tech lacked strength all around and lost the game 45–10, the largest loss in the Fuente era. “They handled us on both sides of the ball,” said head coach Justin Fuente, “I’ve got to find a way to get more out of them in all three phases of the game.” Early offense was a struggle for both teams; the first two possessions each ended in
punts. However, receiver Hezekiah Grimsley got the game started for the Hokies on their third possession with a 25-yard punt return to put the ball on Duke’s 40-yard line. Duke penalties fell in favor of Virginia Tech; a Duke interception in the end zone did not stand due to a roughing-the-passer call, giving the Hokies an automatic first down. But, the Hokies had to settle for a field goal; Brian Johnson made a 20-yard attempt to put Tech up three after the first quarter. A lost fumble in the second quarter from quarterback Hendon Hooker allowed Duke to take over at the 16-yard line. A 16-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Noah Gray put Duke on the board. It was Fuente’s plan to play both Ryan Willis and Hooker at quarterback in order to break up the workload; both are dealing with mild health issues. On Duke’s next possession, Harris was able to complete a few long passes and set the Blue Devils up in the red zone. A pass interference call on Chamarri Conner put Duke on the 2-yard line and Harris was able to connect with Gray again in the end zone for his second touchdown. The Hokies responded with a 45-yard carry from Deshawn McClease, the second-longest rushing play of the season. But, Tech could not convert to points and Oscar Bradburn punted it away on third down. Duke then managed 91 yards in nine plays to reach the end zone yet again. A
25-yard pass from receiver Jalon Calhoun to running back Deon Jackson made the score 21–3 going into the half. After 17:35 minutes with the ball, the Hokies could only come up with a field goal. Virginia Tech went into the locker room with its work cut out for the second half. The Blue Devils opened up the second-half scoring, though. Duke attempted its first field goal of the game from 32 yards. The Blue Devils were able to find gaps on the field and gain 49 yards, mostly rushing. However, Harris was not able to find Aaron Young in the end zone, so Duke took the field goal route. With Hooker in as quarterback on the next drive, the Hokies were not able to make it far. A few incomplete passes and a failed-fourth-down conversion later, Duke found itself with the ball again on Virginia Tech’s 42-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Harris rushed the entire 42 yards for another Duke touchdown, giving the Blue Devils a 28-point edge on the Hokies. Fans began to empty out of Lane Stadium before the conclusion of the third quarter as hopes of a comeback seemed to be slipping out of reach. However, Virginia Tech finally made a big play to get the crowd going. A deep 72-yard touchdown pass from Willis to Damon Hazleton put the first Hokie points on the board since the first quarter. The play also marks Willis’s longest pass and Hazleton’s longest catch.
But, Duke kept its offense rolling in the fourth quarter. The Hokie were not able to catch Jackson as he ran 32 yards into the end zone, adding another seven points to the score. An interception by Blue Devil Leonard Johnson seemed to seal the game, still with 11 minutes to go. Virginia Tech has averaged 2.75 turnovers per game so far this season. To top it off, Duke scored one more touchdown via a 9-yard carry by Chris Katrenick to conclude the game. “We were not ready, we are not at the point where we can compete, play and have a chance to win with the team we played tonight,” Fuente said. Virginia Tech now drops to 2–2 on the season and 0–2 against ACC teams. If Virginia Tech has chances of beating Miami on Oct. 5 in Coral Gables, adjustments on both the offensive and defensive sides must be made. “We still got another game to play,” McClease said. “We can’t focus on one game; this game is behind us.”
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