Virginia Tech Women's Soccer Drops First Contest of Year, Falling to Georgetown

"I was proud of the group in the second half," said Virginia Tech head coach Charles "Chugger" Adair. "I thought we came more prepared to play in the second half. Unfortunately, we didn't show the first half. We didn't have the same passion and the same determination that we had Thursday night [against Clemson]. We weren't as good in the moments early on, but they got back themselves back in it. Nice to see us get the goal back. A couple of blunders caused the goal and then, Georgetown's got some good forwards and they made us pay. So, a couple set pieces that we gave up goals on. It's disappointing, but we'll have to just kind of get through it and work through it as much as we can, and be ready for for Liberty on Thursday. But proud of the group the second half. Disappointed with our first half performance tonight."

The Hokies (3-1-0), who were ranked at No. 15 in the United Coaches poll, fell to the Hoyas (2-0-1), who were unranked entering the matchup and did not compile any votes. However, at the conclusion of last season, Georgetown ranked No. 19 in the RPI, three spots behind Virginia Tech.

This season, the Hoyas entered the 2025 campaign as the overwhelming favorite to win the Big East, earning ten first-place votes to second-place Xavier's one. That one vote came from Georgetown head coach Dave Nolan, due to a stipulation that the head coaches, who decide the preseason votes, cannot tally any votes for their own teams or players. The Hoyas are three-time defending regular season champions of the Big East and last year, qualified for the NCAA Tournament, making it to the second round.

A pivotal reason for that NCAA Tournament appearance was senior goalkeeper Cara Martin, who tallied a nation-leading 0.26 goals-against average. Opponents only scored on Martin on three occasions in 2024; for her efforts, Martin was named the 2024 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year and the ECAC Defensive Defensive Player of the Year, also qualifying for the All-Big East First Team and Second Team All-Region.

The first 25 minutes were characterized by cautious play and back-and-forth half-chances. Virginia Tech’s Eliana Salama forced Martin into her first save in the 16th minute with a low strike toward the center of the goal, but the keeper smothered it cleanly. Georgetown nearly grabbed the opener in the 17th when Maja Lardner tested Hokies keeper Lauren Hargrove, but the freshman was equal to the shot.

The Hoyas’ breakthrough came in the 28th minute, sparked by smart wing play. Forward Natalie Means drove down the flank and slid a well-weighted ball across the box, finding Lardner in stride. The forward calmly slotted home from close range, putting Georgetown ahead 1-0, a margin that held for the next 30 minutes of game time.

That second half saw a noticeably more aggressive Virginia Tech side. Head coach Chugger Adair made several attacking substitutions, including bringing on Weir, Taylor Price, and Samantha DeGuzman to inject added pressure. The result was immediate: the Hokies dominated possession and peppered the Georgetown back line, taking 11 second-half shots to the Hoyas' one.

In the 51st minute, Natalie Mitchell nearly equalized when her long-range strike hit top woodwork. Virginia Tech continued to push and its persistence finally paid off in the 59th minute. After sustained pressure in the attacking third, midfielder Hannah Pachan threaded a pass into space for forward Eliana Salama, who lifted the ball just above Martin's head to knot the game at one.

For Martin, it was the third time this season she had been scored on — a total that already matched the number of goals she conceded across the entirety of last year.

But just as momentum seemed to tilt fully in the Hokies' favor, Georgetown responded. In the 67th minute, Hoyas midfielder Mary Cochran pounced on a loose ball outside the box and unleashed a driven shot past Hargrove. The redshirt junior tallied her third career goal, restoring Georgetown’s lead at 2-1.

From there, the Hoyas were content to absorb pressure and rely on Martin. Virginia Tech registered 11 second-half shots — including efforts from Salama, Weir, and Price — but Martin proved up to the task, recording three saves after the break.

The Hokies’ best late chance came in the 86th minute when Salama broke free inside the box, only for Martin to deny her with a diving stop to the top corner. Georgetown weathered a flurry of corners and long balls in the final minutes before the referee’s whistle sealed the result.

Still, Tech demonstrated attacking depth and resilience, qualities that bode well as they prepare for the grueling ACC schedule, which begins in about three weeks. If not for Martin’s heroics in goal, Sunday’s result could easily have swung the other way and resulted in a victory for the Hokies.

Virginia Tech returns to action on Thursday, Aug. 28 with a road bout against Liberty at 6 p.m. ET; the game will be available for viewing on ESPN+.

More Virginia Tech Other Sports News: