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Fall Equinox September 22nd
STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE: GAZA FUNDRAISER
Rahaf Mohammed | News Writer
Students at VT are hosting a thrift store pop-up where donations will be accepted and proceeds will go toward relief efforts in Gaza.
The Students for Justice in Palestine is hosting a thrift pop-up Thursday, Sept. 25, from 12 to 6 p.m. Students can fill out a Google Form for donations. They collect clothing, household items, decor and electronics that will be displayed at the pop-up. All the proceeds of this event will be donated to relief efforts for Gaza.
“Last year we were able to raise over $17,000 and we’ve seen the direct impact through the humanitarian aid foundations that we work with,” said Layan Masri, SJP co-president.
“Palestinians were able to access things they otherwise wouldn’t be able to because of the fundraising. This year, we hope to reach as much as we can and more,” Masri said.
She added that their goal is to be the connection between Palestine and
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the campus and for this connection to reach them with the community’s involvement. The proceeds of the event will go to different organizations, like The Sameer Project, as well as various family fundraisers.
The club has been doing similar events weekly; for example, on Thursday, Sept. 4, there was a global strike for Gaza. The participants brought pots and pans as noise makers to echo the sounds of starvation in Gaza. Part of the global strike is to stop shopping or doing business.
On Sept. 11, they held a film screening of “The Settlers” on the Graduate Life Center lawn, showing a documentary that explores the illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank and the movement of the Israeli settlement in Gaza. They followed with a discussion on illegal settlement and occupation.
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“We have events relatively every Thursday, but there’s always something going on on campus for Palestine, whether that be through VT for Palestine or Students for Justice in Palestine,” Masri said.
For more information about upcoming events, visit their Instagram.
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The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, visit reprints.collegemedia.com. The Collegiate Times is a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a mission to provide educational experience in business and production of mass media for Virginia Tech students. © Collegiate Times, 2020. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.
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JONATHAN MUSUSA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Members of Students for Justice in Palestine speak at press conference, Oct. 18, 2024.
NEW RETAIL INCUBATOR TO LAUNCH IN DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG
Abhigna Koochana | News Writer
The Town of Blacksburg will launch a retail incubator to help small businesses grow and VT students.
Blacksburg, home to the Hokies, has a population of more than 50,000 people. A new initiative has entered Blacksburg to introduce more small businesses to the area. The Town of Blacksburg has partnered with Downtown Blacksburg to create a retail business incubator.
According to Let’s Talk Blacksburg, a retail incubator is “a shared space for new and small retail businesses to launch and grow—with support from mentors, resources, marketing, and more.”
“The goal of the retail incubator is to allow retailers to test out their business before committing to a full lease agreement or bank loan,” said Angie Marcolini, the Town of Blacksburg’s business solutions manager. “We also want to help businesses move into the Downtown area of Blacksburg to create more retail opportunities for the community.”
According to Marcolini, the incubator also aims to launch a series of programs targeted to retailers and the public, including topics like creating a business plan, marketing, social media and finance.
Located at 414 N. Main St., the incubator is available for up-and-coming entrepreneurs to launch their businesses. It will also function as a community space for Blacksburg residents. There will be an event and meeting space available to rent by the public and a visitor information hub with brochures and maps.
“Blacksburg is home to a vibrant mix of students, residents and visitors. We want our downtown to reflect that energy,” Marcolini said.
Additionally, the incubator could
also benefit Virginia Tech students by creating new opportunities.
“There could be the opportunity for course credit (and) internships that we are planning to explore for the future,” Marcolini said.
The launch of this space is dependent on the support and engagement of the Blacksburg community. Anyone interested can help name the retail incubator or design a logo idea. Suggestions for the design and logo are being accepted on the Let’s Talk Blacksburg website.
“Once the incubator is open, shopping locally with these new businesses will be key to helping them get the real experience of owning a shop downtown,” Marcolini said.
A ceremony will be held Sept. 22 at 10 a.m., located at 414 N. Main St., for anyone interested in exploring what the
RECOVERY COMMUNITY AND HOKIE
WELLNESS HOST EVENTS FOR NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH
Aliza Baliff | News Writer
Hokie Wellness will host a training session for students to learn about opioid overdose and administer Narcan.
September is National Recovery Month. The Virginia Tech Recovery Community and Hokie Wellness are hosting a variety of events aimed at raising awareness about substance use disorders and mental health recovery.
On Sept. 19, 2025, Hokie Wellness hosted a free Rapid REVIVE naloxone training session on campus. The event was held outside Payne Hall and lasted from 1 to 4 p.m. The session educated attendees on the dangers of opioids, how to recognize a potential opioid overdose and how to properly administer Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.
Participants first completed a station where they were educated on
the definition of opioids and their dangers. Then, students moved to watch a demonstration from a student impact leader, on a manikin, on how to inject Narcan safely and effectively in different scenarios. Attendees then moved to the next station, where they completed a Narcan injection and revival effort on a manikin independently. Successful students then became REVIVE certified.
Each attendee received a dose of prepared Narcan after completing the training and becoming REVIVE certified.
“I learned how to administer Narcan, so now, in case there is an overdose, I won’t be a bystander,” said Carrie MacInnes, a freshman majoring in
general engineering. “I can take action to help.”
The opioid epidemic is a public health issue in the state of Virginia. Research from the Virginia Department of Health shows that in 2023, there were 2,463 drug overdose deaths among Virginia residents.
“Virginia Tech’s location is in Southern Appalachia, which is widely known for having an overdose epidemic,” said Caroline McInnish, a junior majoring in public health and a student impact leader. “It is important for students to learn about it and be trained on how to do something. Those properly educated on administering Narcan have the power to save a life.”
For more information about recovery and health programs, please visit Hokie Wellness.
LIFESTYLES
STUDENTS SPEAK ON LOVE ISLAND USA STARS’ VISIT TO THE BURG
Milana Waller | Lifestyles Contributor
Love Island USA brings the party to Blacksburg with a night to remember.
Virginia Tech students got the chance to meet “Love Island USA” celebrities TJ Palma, Vanna Einerson, Gracyn Blackmore and Austin Shepard during two separate events at The Burg Resto-Bar Aug. 31 and Sept. 4.
The Burg, a popular nightlife location in Downtown Blacksburg, often hosts celebrity appearances to attract students with high-energy productions. The celebrity features drew large crowds eager to dance and take photos with the reality stars they watched on television over the summer.
In preparation for the event, The Burg hosted a watch party for the “Love Island USA” reunion episode the week before.
Palma first arrived on campus Aug. 31 for Labor Day weekend, when university offices and classes were closed. Though not originally expected, a scheduling change opened a time slot for Palma to visit The Burg before Shepard, Einerson and Blackmore’s Sept. 4 event.
Burg ambassador Trevor Vanlandingham received news of the Sept. 4 event two weeks in advance and gave one of his two free tickets to Nadeen Judeh.
Judeh and Vanlandingham attended the meet and greet preceding the DJ setup, speaking to the stars for five to ten minutes each.
“It was just like talking to a friend,” Judeh said. “They were so cool, especially Vanna. It felt like we were talking to another college girl.”
As VIP guests, Judeh and Vanlandingham got to open the event, fully equipped with bubble blowers, whipped cream and smoke machines.
The Burg has an upper level in the back of the restaurant and bar that serves as a platform for its VIP guests, with barriers surrounding the section. Many of the attendees’ excitement urged them to push to the front of the event, putting pressure against the barricades.
“There were, like, four bouncers pushing back on the barrier so that the crowd didn’t knock them over,” said senior Alexis Edwards.
As one of the event photographers, Edwards had a more intimate experience than most students. Before the flooding of fans, she met and spoke with the reality star guests.
“TJ was really nice. He’s probably my favorite that I met; he was very down to earth,” Edwards said. “He was super sweet, took a picture with me and everything. I really enjoyed the Austin, Vanna and Gracyn night, mostly because Gracyn was in my sorority. She’s an Alpha Phi from Virginia Tech.”
Edwards photographed both events, sending her photos to The Burg to be posted on their
Instagram.
“I was partially taking photos, but partially enjoying the event, too,” Edwards said. “[The Burg] is the only club scene that you can get at Virginia Tech, and I think that they’re bringing a type of atmosphere here that was never here before.”
Many videos were posted online commenting on Virginia Tech’s popularity for special events despite its rural location.
“Things like this really just make the student experience a lot better,” Vanlandingham said. “It makes people wanna go out and meet people with similar interests and stuff like that.”
For more information on upcoming events, visit The Burg’s social media pages.
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL FAIR PREPARES STUDENTS FOR POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
Willow Musterman | Lifestyles Staff Writer
Everything to know in preparation for the grad fair Oct. 4.
The Graduate and Professional School Fair is an opportunity for those ready to take the next steps in their education. The fair is held annually in the fall semester and provides attendees with the opportunity to speak with representatives from numerous universities across the nation. This year, it will take place Oct. 6 at Squires Student Center, Commonwealth Ballroom.
“Our goal is to include something for every student,” said Brian Chan, director of events for the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. “We already have a wide range of programs signed up, from STEM, social sciences and business to law, health professions, medicine, humanities, public policy, public health, the arts, you name it.”
The fair allows students to speak with representatives from master’s, doctoral and professional programs at Virginia Tech and beyond. They can ask questions and learn information about admissions and student life.
“We currently have over 100 programs committed to attending,” Chan said. “We invite both private and public institutions from across the U.S., and this year we’re excited to host schools besides Virginia Tech like Johns Hopkins, MIT, Cornell ... Vanderbilt, Northeastern, University of Utah and Rutgers. Closer to our region, we also have UVA, UNC-Chapel Hill, Georgetown, George Mason ... NC State,
University of Maryland, Wake Forest and more joining us.”
As years progress, interest in the Graduate and Professional School Fair has increasingly grown. The fair gives students connections and shows them opportunities at the convenience of their own schedules.
“We shifted the fair time from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this year to better fit students’ schedules,” Chan said. “One thing we’ve definitely noticed is a continued high level of online registration well before the event, which shows that students remain very engaged and eager to explore their graduate and professional school options.”
Getting the inside scoop on the diverse institutions and programs available is fundamental for students interested in graduate school. There are vast opportunities for students to find something they resonate with.
“Beyond the numbers, it’s about the quality of interactions we see during the event: students making meaningful connections, asking informed questions and walking away with real clarity about their next steps,” Chan said. “It’s a win-win when students leave feeling inspired and energized about the possibilities ahead.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEXIS EDWARDS AND THE BURG Austin Shepard and Gracyn Blackmore pose for a photo on Sept. 4 at The Burg during a meet and greet.
OBTAINING INTERNSHIPS: AN IMPOSSIBLE FEAT
Emily Dorsey | Opinions Columnist
Internships are crucial stepping-stones, but harder to come by than ever before.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have various opportunities that have given me insight into various careers and the chance to grow my skill set. However, none of them really applied to what I’ve been studying in college: journalism, leadership, social change and consumer studies. By fall 2024, I began to spend hours searching and applying for any type of communications internship. At the time, I knew internships were a crucial stepping-stone for post-grad, but what shocked me was that they are now harder to attain than ever before.
After talking with the associate vice provost at Career and Professional Development, Matthew Cowley, I learned more about his perspective on the internship market and what tips he has for students currently navigating these issues.
“The national recruiting landscape is challenging right now,” Cowley said. “We are dealing with a lot of stuff with the government, tariffs, AI and there are a lot of things coming into play and impacting the job market. That is impacting how many open opportunities there are.”
The job market has been in a really bad spot the past few years due to numerous reasons like fewer employees resigning
due to economic instability; employer hiring being at its lowest in the last 10 years; and the Federal Reserve raising borrowing costs in 2022 to help inflation but slow the economy. In turn, when the U.S. has a bad job market, it also affects the internships available because of reduced funding and limited resources or mentors.
According to Gallup, difficulty obtaining an internship is the top reason for not having one. I’ve spent a lot of time tailoring cover letters, resumes and my portfolio to highlight specific job requirements. After applying to hundreds of openings last academic year, I received barely any communication back. This is definitely a universal experience for many students.
“Some of this, I would say, that students cannot necessarily control,” Cowley said. “I don’t say that to scare anybody or to be negative or dour. I say that as a way to say students are doing a lot of things right … I think it’s important for students to not lose hope and to have persistence.”
From 2023 to 2025, internship postings on Handshake declined more than 15%, while the average number of applications per internship doubled in
the same time period. More students and graduates are applying to internships as their options simultaneously decrease. We are quite literally facing a shortage of opportunities for a generation that is most eager to gain experience.
In July, President Donald Trump signed the Rescissions Act of 2025. This act cut many funds, which impacted global health programs and international disaster assistance. It also eliminated federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. This resulted in NPR and PBS budget reductions and many lost internship opportunities.
Earlier this month, I met with assistant director of internship engagement,Lauren Willis, and director of professional development and experiential programs, Becca Scott. They shared that internship availability can depend on a multitude of factors like geographic location, constant fluctuation of industries’ open positions and how COVID-19 gave students more internship positions through remote work.
Applying to internships felt like a part-time job added on to my 15 credit courseload, extracurriculars and club sport team. Even with the amount of resources and opportunities at my fingertips, it felt like I was running out of time to complete all my saved applications.
“I will not downplay the life of a college student,” Willis said. “But I would say, at that point, maybe work smarter, not harder.”
Willis also mentioned tailoring resumes and in-person networking as ideas that may increase results and decrease time spent over applications. Time management is a skill all college students have learned to juggle courses, extracurriculars and jobs. Utilizing this skill for internship applications will free up time in your schedule while still submitting top-tier applications.
“Being really organized is helpful,
also,” Scott said. “Treat it almost like a class and say, ‘Okay, I’m going to spend three hours during the week and two hours on the weekend doing this.’ You really have to build it into your schedule. The benefits and payoff are there.”
Cowley mentioned another big hurdle he sees is through an articulation gap. This means students are having a hard time translating their tangible skills from extracurriculars, part-time jobs or club duties to a resume, cover letter or interview. Students know what they’ve done, how they accomplished it and the important skills they used to do so, but they aren’t translating it clearly for employers to know how students would fit into their company.
Virginia Tech provides students with a VMock that helps close the articulation gap. VMock is a supplemental tool that assists with resumes, elevator pitches and practice interviews. The resume portion provides students with a number that explains how well an applicant tracking system can read their resume. Many employers use a tracking system to understand if a potential employee is a good fit for their job description.
Besides VMock, VT also provides three internship platforms that take place on-campus. Campus InternEXP, Cooperative Education and Internship Program and Student Internship and Co-op Network. These resources provide hands-on experiences, event opportunities, developmental learning and more.
Many people, including myself, have not heard back from employers, don’t have enough time to apply or have limited opportunities available. If this is you, know that you are not alone. VT has many in-person and online resources available that set us up for success. Keep meeting people and creating authentic relationships; this may lead to a learning experience or internship.
AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES
The Smith Career Center, located at 870 Washington St., June 12, 2017.
VIRGINIA TECH FINDS WIN COLUMN UNDER MONTGOMERY
Sam Mostow | Sports Editor
A week after firing their head coach, the Hokies earned their first win of the season.
Right after Virginia Tech announced to its players that it fired head coach Brent Pry last Sunday, defensive tackle Kelvin Gilliam addressed the team.
“I got up and I said, ‘Who wants to be here — and who doesn’t?’” Gilliam recalled saying.
The message worked. The Hokies (1-3) found a win they desperately needed against Wofford on Saturday, 38-6, marking the first victory of the season and the inaugural one of interim head coach Philip Montgomery’s tenure.
Tech lost to South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Old Dominion at the start of the season, prompting university president Tim Sands, athletic director Whit Babcock and the Board of Visitors to dismiss Pry. With nine games remaining, the team needed a reset and Gilliam — who contributed 1.5 sacks at Lane Stadium on Saturday — led the way.
“You approach the week by saying, ‘OK, you’re 0-3 and your coach got fired,’” Gilliam said. “Or do you say: ‘You’re 0-3, let’s go, your coach just got fired. It’s on us.’ One of the things I told those guys is Coach Pry didn’t take a snap of it. He’s just the head coach; he’s the one that gets the blame. One of the things about it is the players played and the coaches coached, so I really felt like it’s on us, the reason that situation happened.”
Sure, Wofford (0-4) is an FCS opponent and — all due respect to the Terriers (0-4) — not a top-tier ACC team. Still, a win against a Southern Conference opponent counts the same as defeating the No. 1 team in the country in the standings.
Tech (1-3) controlled from the opening whistle. Hokies running back Braydon Bennett scored the first touchdown of his Virginia Tech tenure with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter. The Coastal Carolina transfer rushed for three yards to reach the scoreboard. After some initial offensive struggles, the floodgates opened. Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones threw touchdown passes of 19 yards and 18 yards to receivers Devin Alves and Ayden Greene, respectively, in the second quarter. John Love booted a 20-yard
field goal, then Drones contributed two more short rushing scores before Montgomery replaced Drones with backup Pop Watson in garbage time.
Inferior opponent or not, Drones produced one of the best performances of his three years in Blacksburg. His 27 completed passes marked the most of his career and his 307 yards in the air was his best tally of the season.
“I thought (Drones) worked through the game plan really well,” Montgomery said. “… He did a good job of being able to check the ball down, find his underneath stuff and stay ahead of the chains. … I thought Kyron played within the system, played within himself and took what they gave him.”
Eight different Virginia Tech players registered rushing carries — and all of them gained yards. Marcellous Hawkins led with 82 yards across 13 carries, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. Watson added another 25 during his stint under center. Those rushers filled a void left by Terion Stewart, a transfer from Bowling Green. Montgomery said Stewart is “working through some stuff” and that he expects
him to return next week.
Hokies running back PJ Prioleau notched 65 receiving yards, while 10 different Virginia Tech players finished with more than 10 yards in the air.
Ayden Greene and Devin Alves caught touchdown passes.
Pry’s firing opened an immediate 30-day window for players to enter the transfer portal and find another destination for the 2026 season. Those wishing to obtain a redshirt can do so by playing no more than four games, then opting out for the remainder of the season — assuming they have not redshirted earlier in their collegiate career. Cornerback Dante Lovett already opted out and entered the transfer portal, per a report from 247Sports. Starting linebacker Caleb Woodson and safety Quentin Reddish are eligible to redshirt and did not play on Saturday, and Montgomery did not specify why.
“We’re going through all of that with all of them,” Montgomery said. “As we continue to keep evaluating in those conversations … that right now is going to be us talking about it and us working
through it.”
Gilliam is ineligible to redshirt — since he already did so in 2021 at Oklahoma — so his games this season will be his last on the collegiate level. His season with the Hokies will continue in Raleigh, North Carolina, against NC State to open conference play next Saturday.
“The situation you make of it is you just put your cleats in the ground and go play the next play,” Gilliam said. “One of the things I’ve been telling these guys is you’ve got to see it through. Seeing it through don’t mean you just see it through and go hit the portal. Nah, seeing it through is seeing what happens or seeing what God has for you and stuff. That’s been my message to the team.”
THOMAS BRAY / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Virginia Tech’s fanbase jumps to Enter Sandman on Sept. 20th, 2025, in Blacksburg, Virginia.
GRADING THE HOKIES AGAINST WOFFORD
The
Brody Bryan | Sports Staff Writer
Hokies controlled from start to finish.
At long last, Virginia Tech has its first win of the football season. A 38-6 trouncing of Wofford in front of one of the sparsest Lane Stadium crowds in recent years moved the Hokies to 1-3, while the Terriers remained winless at 0-4. Here’s how things looked:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A-
It wasn’t a perfect day for Kyron Drones, but it was by far his best of the season. The Hokies’ signal-caller completed over 84% of his passes (27 out of 32) with four total touchdowns, two of which came on the ground. Aside from a second-quarter fumble that gave the Terriers the ball in scoring range, Drones played a clean and effective game, accounting for 324 of Tech’s 461 total yards and leading the Hokies’ offense to a productive afternoon.
Redshirt sophomore William “Pop” Watson III saw game action in the
fourth quarter. His only pass attempt of the night fell incomplete, but the Massachusetts native managed 25 yards on three rushes as Tech continued to dominate the Terriers’ defense late into the game.
Running Backs: B+
This group ran into trouble early, with Marcellous Hawkins being denied on fourth-and-2 in the red zone and rushing for little to no gain other times. The backs eventually picked up, however. Hawkins finished as the leading rusher, with 79 yards on 13 carries. The other running backs, including Braydon Bennett and Jeremiah Coney, added 34 yards. The group as a whole averaged nearly five yards per carry to cement an efficient afternoon.
The backs didn’t just shine on the ground. Redshirt senior P.J. Prioleau led the team in receiving yards with 65 on seven catches, and Hawkins added another 27. Both had catches over 15
yards, and Prioleau had the longest catch of the day at 24 yards.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B-
While there wasn’t an individual standout among the pass-catching corps, seven different Hokies recorded at least one catch. The leading wide receiver was Ayden Greene, who snagged four balls for 52 yards and a touchdown that extended Tech’s lead to three scores in the second quarter. Redshirt Junior Devin Alves recorded both his first career reception and touchdown on the same play, a 19-yard strike that capped off an 80-yard drive for the offense.
The tight ends weren’t necessarily electrifying, but they didn’t have to be. They combined for just two catches but totaled 41 yards between them to keep the chains moving.
Offensive Line: B+
Like other position groups, the offensive line played its best game of the year on Saturday. Drones was sacked just once, which is a significant improvement from weeks prior. While there was still the occasional penalty, the operation of the line was much cleaner and smoother than it had been all season. Lanes were open for backs to run through, and quarterbacks often had time to read the defense and make throws. Although the Terriers’ defensive line is the worst Tech has played against this year, its offensive line controlled the trenches from start to finish.
Defense
Defensive Line:
A
It’s hard to play much better than the Hokies’ defensive front did on Saturday. Wofford quarterback Jayden Whitaker was sacked four times, limiting him to -26 yards on four carries. The rest of the Terriers’ rushing attack wasn’t much better. Ihson Jackson-Anderson, their leading rusher, totaled 12 yards and
averaged just 1.7 yards per carry. His largest gain of the game was three yards. Wofford ended the afternoon with -1 total yards on the ground. It was a nearperfect day in the trenches for Tech. The Hokies’ defensive line didn’t just control the ground game, either. Early in the second quarter and immediately following a Drones fumble, Whitaker was intercepted by a diving Kemari Copeland on a ball that was tipped at the line of scrimmage. The Hokies’ offense turned that into a 69-yard touchdown drive, extending the lead and landing a knockout punch.
Linebackers: B+
With standout linebacker Caleb Woodson out for unknown reasons, the Hokies needed someone to step up. Jaden Keller and North Carolina transfer Michael Short did just that. Keller led the group in tackles with five, and Short tied Kaleb Spencer for a game-high 1.5 tackles for loss. The unit was solid in coverage and excelled against the run. None of the Terriers’ carries got past the second level.
Defensive Backs: B
With various injuries and Dante Lovett entering the transfer portal, the Hokies’ secondary was thin on Saturday. It didn’t matter — Whitaker completed just 16 of his 27 passes and looked uncomfortable for most of the afternoon. The Terriers didn’t find success through the air until the game was long out of reach.
Sam Houston State transfer Isaiah Cash led Tech with six tackles and assisted a tackle for loss. True freshman Jahmari DeLoatch also made an impact, tallying two tackles, half of a tackle for loss and a pass defended. Several other young players also saw the field as the gap on the scoreboard began to widen, making for an encouraging glimpse of the secondary’s future.
THOMAS BRAY / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Virginia Tech’s Kyron Drones (1) hands the ball off to Marcellous Hawkins (27) on Sept. 14th, 2025, in Blacksburg, Virginia.
STRONG SECOND HALF AGAINST WAKE FOREST NOT ENOUGH FOR WOMEN’S SOCCER IN THIRD STRAIGHT LOSS
Virginia Tech women’s soccer remains winless in September. The Hokies dropped their Thursday evening contest to No. 16 Wake Forest, 2-1, marking their third consecutive ACC loss.
Natalie Mitchell opened the scoring for the Hokies (4-5-2, 0-3 ACC), tallying her fourth goal of the season. However, Tech only held that advantage for only a few minutes before the Demon Deacons (8-1-1, 2-0-0) struck twice in quick succession, capitalizing on defensive lapses to turn the match on its head. Despite controlling much of the second half and outshooting Wake Forest 8-2, the Hokies were unable to produce an equalizer and slipped to 1-4-2 in their last seven contests.
Tech came out with energy, pressing Wake Forest and earning a corner kick early in the game. Hannah Pachan’s kick was partially cleared, but the ball fell to Mitchell at the top of the box. Without hesitation, Mitchell one-timed a low shot to the corner. The goal marked Mitchell’s fourth of the season; Mitchell also reached a personal career milestone later in the match, eclipsing 5,000 career minutes while logging a career-high 90 minutes on the pitch.
The Hokies’ advantage did not last long. Just under eight minutes after Mitchell’s opener, Wake Forest responded from a corner kick of its own. A scrum in front of the Hokies’ goal ended with the ball nudging past goalkeeper Lauren Hargrove to level the match at 1-1.
Almost immediately after the restart, the Demon Deacons broke through again. A well-timed through ball split the Virginia Tech back line to Kylie Maxwell, setting up a one-on-one with Hargrove. Wake Forest calmly finished the chance, suddenly flipping the scoreline in its favor, 2-1, by the 15th minute.
The quick double strike stunned the Hokies, who had otherwise begun
Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer players embrace forward
after UNC’s first goal to tie the game 1-1 in the 77th minute of
brightly. Tech regrouped and kept the deficit at one heading into halftime, but the damage had been done. The Hokies generated wave after wave of pressure, outshooting Wake Forest 8-2 over the final 45 minutes and finishing with a 17-11 advantage in total attempts. They also forced 10 corner kicks, tying their season high for set-piece opportunities.
However, despite the volume, the finishing touch was missing. Several shots sailed over the crossbar, while others were blocked by the Demon Deacons’ back line. Wake Forest’s keeper, Valentina Amaral, finished the day with three saves, all of which came in the second half.
The Demon Deacons, content to defend in numbers after their early
goals, absorbed pressure and limited the Hokies to low-percentage looks. Hargrove kept Tech in the match with five saves, including a stop in the 49th minute to prevent the hosts from extending their lead.
Thursday’s defeat added to a frustrating pattern for the Hokies, who have scored just twice across their first three ACC fixtures while conceding five scores.
Tech’s inability to finish chances — despite creating them in bulk — has been a recurring theme. Against Wake Forest, Mitchell and forward Anna Weir provided sparks, but depth scoring has been inconsistent. The schedule is a difficult slate; across the 2025 season, Tech will face each of the other five
ACC squads that qualified for the 2024 Elite Eight, having already taken on two (North Carolina and Wake Forest).
Tech returns home to Thompson Field on Saturday, Sept. 27, for a 7 p.m. bounce-back contest against NC State. After playing the Wolfpack (2-6-2, 1-1), the Hokies will then travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, to take on the No. 1 Cavaliers (7-0-1, 1-0) in the 2025 iteration of the Commonwealth Clash. That duel will take place Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. ET. Both games will be available for viewing on ACC Network Extra.
Natalie Mitchell scored in the loss.
Thomas Hughes | Sports Staff Writer
JACOB JENKINS / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Taylor Lewin (21) after she made a bounce-back score just four minutes
their Thursday night game in Blacksburg, Virginia, Sept. 11. 2025.