ECU Athletic Media Relations

GREENVILLE — Third-ranked Virginia Tech scored a trio of second-half goals en route to a 3-0 victory, snapping the East Carolina women’s soccer team’s five-game winning streak on Sunday afternoon at Johnson Soccer Stadium.

“We didn’t go into this game saying we were going to defend in our half of the field, but sometimes, the way teams play kind of forces you into doing that,” head coach Rob Donnenwirth said. “I’m proud of the girls’ efforts today and I think we will learn a lot from this game. Virginia Tech is a heck of a team and there is a reason why they’re ranked third in the country.”

ECU found itself under immense pressure from the Hokies’ offense, but the defensive line forced them into four offside calls and just one shot in the first half. Virginia Tech (9-0) also had three corner kicks, but each was cleared, as the Pirates became the first team to hold the nation’s No. 3 team scoreless through the first 45 minutes of play this season.

“I thought we played really well defensively in the first half,” Donnenwirth said. “We limited their looks at our goal, which I don’t think many other teams have been able to do yet this season. I was happy with that going into the second half.”

East Carolina (5-2) eventually succumbed to the Hokies’ pressure, as they punched home a pair of goals off the feet of Madi Conyers and Shannon Mayrose just 40 seconds apart in the 54th minute. Just 10 minutes later, Virginia Tech struck again on yet another cross to the center of the goal box, as leading goal-scorer Murielle Tiernan notched her seventh of the year to bring the score to 3-0.

Both teams made numerous substitutes during the final 20 minutes of the match, and ECU just missed on a golden opportunity in the waning moments when freshman Charlotte Pearsall hit a turnaround shot just wide of the Hokies’ goalkeeper.

Virginia Tech owned a 12-4 overall advantage in shots and owned a 7-0 edge in corner kick chances on the afternoon.

Redshirt junior goalkeeper Saundra Baron made four saves on the day and had her streak of time without allowing the opposing team to score halted at just over 505-consecutive minutes.

East Carolina will take its unblemished road record to UNC Wilmington Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m., before returning home to host Campbell on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 p.m.