October 11, 2022

NEWS

VIRGINIA TECH ANNOUNCES HOMECOMING CELEBRATIONS

Victoria Weber | news editor

The festivities will also honor Virginia Tech’s Sesquicentennial anniversary.

According to VTx, Virginia Tech will feature several activities and events for the Virginia Tech community from Oct. 10 through Oct. 15 in cele bration of homecoming.

Homecoming Kickoff will begin Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Prairie Quad, and will host music, food trucks and student performances.

On Tuesday, the Homecoming Showcase, a display of a variety of student artistic productions, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Haymarket Theatre.

On Wednesday, the Homecoming Court candidates will answer 72 questions in the manner of Vogue’s 73 questions from 7-8 p.m. in an online event. The National Pan-Hellenic Council will also host a Yard Show at Haymarket Theatre at 6 p.m. in honor of its organizations.

The dedication of the Sesquicentennial Exhibit at Newman Library will take place on the second floor from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday,

OUR CORE VALUES

Impartiality means reporting, editing and delivering the news honestly, fairly, objectively and without opinion or bias.

Credibility is the greatest asset of any news medium, and impartiality is the greatest source of credibility.

To provide the most complete report, a news organization must not just cover the news, but uncover it. It must follow the story wherever it leads, regardless of any preconceived ideas on what might be most newsworthy.

The pursuit of truth is a noble goal of jour nalism. But the truth is not always apparent or known immediately. Journalists’ role is therefore not to determine what they believe at that time to be the truth and

followed by the Black Student Alliance’s comedy show at 6 p.m. in the Commonwealth Ballroom.

Friday will mark the beginning of Homecoming Weekend, with events such as the homecoming football game against the Miami Hurricanes, the Grand Opening of the Lavender House LLC and a Pass in Review at 3:30 p.m. to honor the Class of 1972. The Homecoming Tailgate will begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Sesquicentennial HokieTalk at 9 a.m.

The Cornerstone Alumni Homecoming Parade Watch Party will also be held on Friday at 6 p.m., with the Homecoming Parade beginning at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks on the Drillfield at 8:45 p.m.

In honor of 150 years since Virginia Tech’s founding, there will be a projection of photos and videos of Virginia Tech’s history during the

parade, concluding at 10 p.m.

According to VTx, all events are available to the Virginia Tech community, but some, such as the Homecoming Tailgate, require

registration.

reveal only that to their readers, but rather to report as completely and impartially as possible all verifiable facts so that readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine what they believe to be the truth.

When a news organization delivers both news and opinions, the impartiality and credibility of the news organization can be questioned. To minimize this as much as possible there needs to be a sharp and clear distinction between news and opinion, both to those providing and consuming the news.

NEWSROOM 231-9865

Editor-in-Chief: Momiji Barlow (editor@collegiatetimes.com)

Managing editor: Colleen Henneberry

Design editor: Sydney Johnson

Assistant Design editor: Nanami Nishimoto

Copy editor: Emily Burch

News editor: Victoria Weber

Lifestyles editor: Olivia Ferrare

Sports editors: Amber Williams, Margaret Allocca, and Colby Talley

Opinions editor: Olivia Nelson

Photo editor: Andrew Rodgers and Hamad Alhendi

Voice your opinion. Send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com

All letters must include a name and phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. Other submissions must include city of residence and relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor in chief and managing editors.

Social media editors: Emily Logue (Twitter), Deanna Driver (Facebook)

Have a news tip? newstips@collegiatetimes.com

BUSINESS STAFF 231-9860

Business manager: Charlie Setash (business@collegemedia.com)

MEDIAMATE 888-897-7711 collegiatetimes.com/media_kit/ orders@mymediamate.com

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

with a mission to provide educational

business and production of mass media for Virginia Tech students.

Collegiate Times, 2020. All

published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.

not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Collegiate Times. Read about our organization’s

Values

at collegiatetimes.com.

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES Desiree Velez (left) and Sam Dickerson (right) pose after winning the 2019 Homecoming king and queen title, Oct. 19, 2019.

CLASS OF 2024 ELECTS SPONSOR AND NAMESAKE FOR CLASS RING

Benjamin Montgomery | news writer

The honorary roles will be filled by Barbara J. Pendergrass and Brandy Faulkner.

Virginia Tech’s class of 2024 rewarded Barbara J. Pendergrass Ed.D. as its ring namesake. Brandy Faulkner, the Gloria D. Smith professor of Black Studies, is the class sponsor.

“(Barbara J. Pendergrass’) contributions to Virginia Tech are hard to articulate because she is so amazing,” said Erin Highland, ring design chair and English major. “Our class

leadership team is the most diverse in history, so it means a lot to us to have a namesake that reflects that.”

Pendergrass began at Virginia Tech as a staff counselor in 1979. Earning her doctorate in education in 1987, she was promoted to assistant to the vice president of student affairs from 1989 to 95, then to associate dean of students from 1995 to 98. Lastly, she

became the dean of students from 1998 to 2003. Pendergrass was the first Black woman to earn the title at Virginia Tech.

While at Virginia Tech, Pendergrass helped create many initiatives around campus, including the VirTual Safe Zone program which provides LGBTQ+ students with a place to feel safe and heard. Such initiatives include the annual InclusiveVT Summit (formerly Diversity Summit), the Diversity Roundtable and Multicultural Fellows.

“(Brandy Faulkner) is another amazing woman; she is so impressive and so kind,” Highland said. “Throughout this whole process, she has been so engaged and awesome; it’s very exciting for someone who is still actively making an impact on Virginia Tech (to) be honored.”

Faulkner began teaching at Virginia Tech in 2012, acquiring multiple teaching awards and supervising more than ten undergraduate students in the areas of law and judicial policy. She is a part of the political science department and teaches courses in public administration, constitutional law, adminis trative law, research methods and the politics of race, ethnicity and gender.

Pendergrass and Faulkner were honored at the Ring Premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 7 and will be honored again at the ring dance this March.

The class ring features many different details and designs specific to the class of 2024. The ring includes a dumpster set ablaze, The Commonwealth Cup, Mike Young’s popcorn bag, Skipper the cannon and many more. Scribed across the shoulder of the ring is ‘Incepto Ne Desistam’, meaning ‘may I not shrink from my purpose.’ A YouTube video titled “Virginia Tech Class of 2024 Ring Reveal” displays all the unique details of the Pendergrass ring.

In-person ring sizing and ordering oppor tunities will take place Oct. 10 to 14 and 17 to 21 in the Williamsburg Room in Squires Student Center. Students can also order online on Virginia Tech’s alumni website. The selected manufacturer for the ring is Balfour, a jewelry company based out of Austin, Texas.

OPINIONS THE PROMOTION OF OPTIMISM AND PROGRESS PUTS AMERICA AHEAD

Jordan Meadows | opinions columnist

The U.S. outperforms other nations because of its commitment to freedom, innovation and prosperity.

A global superpower, land of freedom and opportunity, and the home of the brave and courageous. The United States of America can be described in many ways, but can it be described as the best country on Earth? If the question was asked 50 years ago, one would expect to hear a much different answer than they would today.

Half a century ago, Americans were much happier and optimistic about the country’s

future. This is because Americans then realized the true capabilities of a union which shares one important value: optimism in the future.

Today, many Americans are grim and pessimistic — which can possibly be explained by heightened distrust in government institutions at home while taking heed to the increasing creation of other free and innovative sovereignties

abroad. Young Americans notice the fact that America is 18th in science, 36th in math, according to 2018 data from the Programme for International Student Assessment; 8th in GDP per capita; and falls outside the top 50 for life expectancy. The U.S. also has the highest intentional homicide rate compared to other G7 countries.

Through these metrics, it is apparent the U.S. is one of the better countries in the

world — as there are almost 200 countries total. And although quantitative analysis is critically important when comparing different countries, in this case, it necessarily misses a crucial aspect of the assessment. The debate isn’t entirely about the results of a prosperous country, but rather why that country is able to be prosperous at all. Through incentivization and promotion of continued on page 4

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Virginia Tech Class of 2021 and 2022 Rings, April 4, 2021.

continued from page 3

freedom, liberty and opportunity, the U.S also maintains its culture of criticism: persisting to progress through research and open discussions.

Although half of Americans agree that America is the best country on Earth, older Americans — born 1928-1964 — are much more likely to agree with the statement compared to younger Americans. The exact reason for this is unknown, but it must be in part due to the rise of progress, freedom and prosperity in other coun tries such as Germany, Japan and India. It could also be due to the increase in skep ticism of traditional norms domestically: gay marriage, trickle-down economics, global warming and even our own election process and amendment rationale.

Gil Hersch, an assistant professor in social and political philosophy at Virginia Tech, says that based on citizens’ happiness, America isn’t the best country. He goes on to say that America does not seem to live up to the ideas it has promoted since its inception.

“Based on the latest Gallup survey of happiness by country, and on that account the U.S. is not the greatest,” Hersch said. “There are all sorts of ways America leads the world, and it is full of lofty ideals, but when operationalized, you can see the notions of freedom don’t always occur in the ways we discuss.”

50 to 100 years ago, it was presumably much more evident that America was leading the world in almost every category compared to today. America has not taken

major steps backward, but instead other countries have taken extremely large steps forward. China and Russia are perceived as the other superpower competitors to the U.S. — the ones who could take the number one spot. Other G7 and NATO countries are also leaders in most of these categories, but many of them are not regarded as the best country in the world despite being leaders in many major statis tical categories — education, crime, inno vation and research. So what sets America apart from all of them?

First, America exhibited to the world that it was possible to create a sovereign and innovative nation through the power of good ideas and collaboration: champi oning democracy, equality and free speech over power, hierarchy and authority. The U.S. is not the sole inspiration of these ideas, but nevertheless a main beacon of freedom, innovation and prosperity to many seeking liberty and optimism. The fact that the U.S. started as a suppressed colony resisting the world’s greatest power, and now is more influential and powerful than any other country, tells just how these ideas have shaped the pros perous nation. We are a representation of resisting tyranny and creating a critical and collaborative system.

Secondly, the U.S. has led the world, including Russia, China and the other G7 countries, in these efforts through human itarian aid, military protection, financial assistance and trade — collaborating with countries abroad to solve important global problems. We have seen evidence of this

just in the last decade.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “in 2014, following years of accu sations of election corruption in Georgia, USAID sent targeted political devel opment aid to local organizations there to train and deploy election monitors. In 2020, the United States committed $4 billion in humanitarian assistance to an international partnership aiming to provide COVID-19 vaccines to ninety-two low- and middle-income countries.”

Just this year alone, the U.S. has sent Ukraine $25 billion in order to defend itself from Russia — over $20 billion more than any other country in the world. There is an argument to be made that America possesses the most wealth, so they would assuredly be the ones to financially support other countries and their developments. But this is not necessarily true. China, Japan and Germany lead the world, along with the U.S. in total GDP, while Switzerland and Australia also lead the world in GDP per capita, but none of these countries come close to the U.S. total global efforts through the centuries. The United States is a leader in creating new and more efficient methods of living and in criticism of tyranny and oppression, both abroad and at home.

The U.S. is a leader in other aspects as well. They have the world’s largest public spending budget, assisting individuals who are struggling while creating new opportunities for everyone by bolstering the economy as a whole. The U.S. is in the top five for Gross Domestic Spending on research and development and has the

most scientific studies and citations of any country in the world. America is number one for technology and innovation. Eight of the best 10 universities in the world are located in the U.S. Finally, and of the utmost importance, is freedom of speech: The U.S. polls number one in free speech, number one in internet freedom, number one in freedom of expression and number two in media freedom, lagging by two percentage points.

Unfortunately, the U.S. also ranks number one in incarceration rate, total gun deaths, illegal drug use, divorce and healthcare spending. Now, although these are critically important problems to solve, they are soluble. Because the U.S. has such a great culture of criticism and incentivizes and promotes diversity of thought, the problems that are important to the country can be solved. Through these free, oppor tunistic and innovative environments the U.S. provides, Americans should feel confident and optimistic about solving any problem it faces.

“The U.S. is very good across all sorts of metrics, but one thing I would high light is the smug satisfaction which will never let any country improve,” Hersch said. “Different countries perform well on different metrics. The U.S. can still learn things from other countries.”

There are, indeed, many prosperous nations, and some of them may even provide an individual with a better life style compared to if they lived in the U.S. However, for all the reasons previously mentioned — good and bad — the United States is the best country in the world. Not because America is the smartest or the safest, or even because it has the most wealth and power, but because of the prin cipled founding ideas of the union, which have been promoted, spread and prac ticed globally.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

LIFESTYLES

‘THIS RANDOM WORLD’ EVOKES EMOTION AS A TALE OF MISSED CONNECTIONS

Mirula Prasad | lifestyles staff writer

The new performance combines student actors and surprise special guests to immerse audiences in the serendipitous story.

The School of Performing Arts kicked off its theater season in Squires Studio Theater with an electric performance of “This Random World: The Myth of Serendipity” that ran from Sept. 29 to Oct. 4. Amanda Nelson, the director of the production, noted in her direc tor’s note to the audience that this play is all about “missed connections.” The playwright, Stephen Dietz, grapples with themes of coin cidence and destiny in this play. The work leaves the audience contemplating the alter native universes these characters could’ve been in if they had just waited a little bit longer and connected with the person right next to them.

This production follows an ensemble cast made up of seven undergraduate students in the School of Performing Arts. The opening scene starts off strong with main characters Beth and Ted Ward; Beth is dictating her own obituary to her brother in his house in case something happens to her on her dangerous trip to Nepal. She eventually spirals, and we go on to meet the rest of the characters: Rhonda, Scottie Ward, Claire, Gary and Bernadette. The audience begins to understand that everyone is connected in some way, and all of

these people would have known each other, but they just don’t seem destined to connect.

The message of missed connections is further explored in the set design. This play is performed on a three-quarter prosceni um-thrust stage, with the stage extending out into the audience who surround the stage on all three sides, allowing for the performers to be in closer proximity to the audience. This choice of stage allows the drama and action of the actors to be more deeply felt in the audience.

John Ambrosone, set designer and theater chair, designed the stage to mimic a revolving door. The stage revolves around onto the next set with a new pair of characters who are in the middle of their conversation setting up the next conflict. The audience grows to under stand the interconnectedness of all of the characters and the relationships they hold, but the characters pass each other like people who use a revolving door as an entrance, which reinforces the idea of missed connections.

Another aspect of the set design are the furnishings and props, which brings you into the world of every character and makes you much more invested in their stories. The stage

SPENCER DAVIDSON / COLLEGIATE TIMES

The rotating stage that mimics a revolving door, Oct. 4, 2022.

SPENCER DAVIDSON / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Performance of “This Random World”, Oct. 4, 2022.

is first set as a view into Ted’s house, which is a simple living room with couches and chairs, but the floor is cluttered with crumpled cans. The design of Ted’s living room speaks to the disappointments he’s been through in his personal life recently. Every set is executed beautifully: the icebergs in Nepal, the diner table and the park benches. The designs make you feel like you’re actually part of the scene, especially with the close proximity of the stage to the audience.

The sound and lighting design of this play also need to be applauded for adding to the overall realism. The lighting hits the back walls of the scene and shifts colors to everything from cool blues to warm oranges. This reflects the mood of the scene and represents the natural environment. The sound also envelops the audience in the scene and brings them much closer to the cast, allowing them to feel like they’re in the moment watching from a short distance.

The ensemble cast’s performances truly made the play amazing. All the actors completely understood their parts and portrayed their characters through their range of body movements and vocal tone. They were able to capture the essence of the play and strike a sympathetic chord within the

audience who may have faced similar experi ences. The cast was also able to infuse humor into their roles effortlessly while still main taining the emotional core.

Aryan Mathur, a junior and public health major, enjoyed the close-knit community the actors formed while rehearsing. He is one of seven undergraduate students acting in the play alongside special guests at each performance.

“My favorite part about the show was getting the opportunity to work with and develop strong friendships with my cast mates,” Mathur said. “My cast mates were some of the most talented people I’ve been around and were incredibly fun and supportive from day one.”

The next theater performance coming from the School of Performing Arts is “Once Upon A Mattress,” a musical. Open auditions are Oct. 11 and 12 in Theatre 101. For more infor mation on upcoming School of Performing Arts events, visit performingarts.vt.edu.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE INNER WORKINGS OF BLACKSBURG TRANSIT

Emanda Seifu | ASSISTANT LIFESTYLES EDITOR

Mary Wright describes how she found her passion through driving for BT and training future bus drivers.

Two students boarding a bus at Newman Library, Feb 20, 2022.

Since 1983, the Blacksburg Transit bus system has been providing transportation for those getting around Blacksburg and the surrounding areas. Originally having started with three routes (Hethwood/Windsor Hills, Toms Creek A/B and North Main/South Main), the BT system was centered around Virginia Tech. When the demand for more routes increased, new routes were gradually added over the next couple of decades.

Today, BT provides transportation “for Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, Christiansburg, and parts of Montgomery County in southwest Virginia,” according to BT’s official website. With countless fixed routes, event shuttles and demand response services, the BT has become an essential part of the Blacksburg community. Furthermore, with Virginia Tech students, faculty and staff making up a large portion of the ridership, it’s safe to say that BT is at the center of the Hokie community as well.

Outside of providing transportation for those at Tech, BT also has several employment opportunities for everyone — students, staff and even community members.

For Mary Wright, a former opera singer, BT

was far from what she expected to be doing. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Wright’s work in music became scarce, and she needed to find other ways to keep working. This was when she stumbled upon the department. Knowing that BT would be essential work, Wright decided to give it a try and has worked there ever since.

Wright has now been with BT for over two years. Originally starting out as a bus driver, she has now worked her way up to a part-time operations trainer and interim marketing Communications and Customer Support Specialist (CSS).

“As an operations trainer, which is the main role that I do at BT, I train people to get their CDLs (commercial driver’s license),” Wright said. The goal of the training is to make students feel as comfortable driving a 60-foot bus as they are their own vehicles.

Wright explained that a typical day starts with classes.

“Depending on the day, I either end in my position with training or help out in our CCS department which on training day, I’d go into the office,” she said.

As a driver, people have the flexibility to

drive different routes or stick to a routine.

Generally, shifts are three-hour blocks of time. This can aid students in fitting shifts in between class schedules. Smaller shift times can also ease stress during busy exam weeks and give drivers scheduling flexibility.

Being a part of BT has “led to really deep friendships that I’ve had with these people … I’ve been to their weddings and watched their dogs … (I’ve) really connected to them,” Wright said. What might have originally started out as a pandemic job opportunity has transformed into something truly meaningful for her.

“I never ever expected that when I walked into BT … this is like my pandemic stopover job … and (then) I met these people that honestly changed my life and that I am so grateful for,” Wright said.

For those interested in driving for the BT or any other role in the department, Wright has some advice to offer.

“You never know if you don’t try,” Wright said. “If you’re interested in it, why not give it a go? We are there to help our trainees and get you to where you’re going. Don’t be intim idated by the size of the vehicle because we

give you lots of training and tips and tricks … it really does get easier.”

The Blacksburg Transit runs all throughout the year from 7 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 2:45 a.m. on Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 a.m. on Saturdays and 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. on Sundays. The BT does not run on major holidays. All the bus routes and schedules can be found on ridebt. org or on the Blacksburg Transit app.

GWYNDOLYN MILES / COLLEGIATE TIMES

SPORTS

PITT AND ISRAEL ABANIKANDA OVERPOWER THE HOKIES 45–29

Amber williams | SPORTS Editor

Abanikanda’s six touchdowns secured the victory for Pitt.

The Pittsburgh Panthers (4–2, 1–1 ACC) came away with a 45–29 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies (2–4, 1–2 ACC) behind six touchdowns from Israel Abanikanda in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Malachi Thomas, Keshawn King and Da’Wain Lofton recorded touchdowns for Tech. Thomas got the Hokies on the board in the first with a five yard rush up the middle to move the score to 7–6 Pitt.

The Hokies were able to keep pace with the Panthers, even taking the lead once in the second quarter, but Tech began to unravel in the third when they were only able to get on the board once, while Pitt found the end zone twice. The start of the fourth quarter looked promising for the Hokies, who scored a touchdown off of a blocked Pitt punt. However, Pitt altered the momentum and effectively shut down the Hokies for the rest of the quarter while scoring three touch downs of its own.

Every single touchdown Pitt scored came

from Abanikanda, who tied the Pitt record for most touchdowns in one game and set a new record for the most rushing yards with 320.

Pitt quarterback Kedon Slovis had a 53.6% pass completion and threw for 170 yards in the win. Grant Wells threw for 277 yards for the Hokies with one touchdown. Wells was 53.2% in passing for the game.

On defense for the Hokies, Chamarri Conner, Dax Hollifield and Nasir Peoples each garnered seven tackles, with Jayden McDonald registering a sack. Pitt had three sacks in the competition and Shayne Simon had a game-high of nine tackles for the Panthers.

The Hokies now have a three-game losing streak heading into their matchup against Miami on Oct. 15 back in Blacksburg, Virginia.

WOMEN’S SOCCER FALLS TO THE CLEMSON TIGERS

THOMAS BRAY | SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Women’s Soccer loses to Clemson 2–1 after failing to score a equalizing goal in the second half.

The Hokies (9–4–1,3–2 ACC) were defeated by the Clemson Tigers (7–4–2, 3–3 ACC) 2–1 on Sunday. The Tigers added a marquee win while the Hokies lost their second consecutive game. The Tigers have beaten the Hokies six times in a row, and the Hokies haven’t defeated the Tigers since 2014.

The Tigers were the aggressors in the first half. They took the lead right away in the fifth minute when junior Makenna Morris took advantage of a ricochet and scored a goal.

They outshot the Hokies 7–2 through the first 45 minutes. The shot disparity in the first half played a big role in the Hokies’ loss.

Despite the difference in shots, Taylor Price still managed to put the Hokies on the board in the 24th minute with a shot from the right corner. Price leads the team with seven goals in the season as a freshman. Right before the break, the Hokies had an oppor tunity to tie it. However, Halle Mackiewicz came up with a tremendous save to keep the Tigers in front. The Hokies went into the

break trailing 2–1.

Even though the Hokies were more aggressive in the second half, only three of their eight shots were on goal. Ultimately, the Hokies couldn’t create any offense in the second half and the Tigers remained dominant. The Tigers finished the game with eight shots on goal. Despite allowing two goals, Lauren Hargrove had six saves and prevented the game from getting out of hand. The Tigers remained tough on defense throughout the second half to seal

the victory.

The Tigers add this win to their multiple impressive victories this season. The Hokies will look to get back on track when they host Virginia (10–2–1, 3–2 ACC) on Oct. 13 at Thompson Field.

Courtesy of Hokie Sports

NORTH CAROLINA DEFEATS VT VOLLEYBALL IN FOUR SETS

Sam Mostow | SPORTS STAFF WRITER

UNC defeats VT volleyball 3–1 in sets, The Tar Heels scored 66 kills to the Hokies’ 37.

Virginia Tech volleyball (9–8, 2–4 ACC) looked entirely overmatched against North Carolina (1–0–7, 2–4 ACC) on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Tar Heels 3–1, unable to defend UNC’s 66 kills.

Although Virginia Tech led through most of the first set, the Hokies never blew the score open. UNC only led once when the score was 19–18, but Virginia Tech never led by more than four, eventually winning 25–22.

The second set consisted of nine lead changes, all of which occurred early on. The Tar Heels took a 9–8 lead and never looked back, cruising to a 25–19 win to tie the match at one set apiece.

The Tar Heels out-killed Virginia Tech

in the third set, 17 to 4, leading to a 25–15 set three win. The Hokies had a minuscule .033 hitting percentage and looked over matched from start to finish in the third set.

The fourth set was very similar to the third. Although Virginia Tech led briefly, they never had control of the set, falling 25–16 and losing the match 3–1.

The Heels wore down the Hokies through their attacking all afternoon, led by outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster’s 22 kills. The Hokies had 37 kills, just over half of what the Tar Heels collected.

Cara Lewis led the Hokies with nine kills and a .389 hitting percentage, while Sydney Petersen followed her with eight kills and a .174 hitting percentage.

“(North Carolina was) more in system and it was really hard for us to be able to control their left pins,” said Virginia Tech head coach Marci Byers. “They were good. They hit it hard and we just weren’t able to physically keep up with that tonight.”

The Hokies and Tar Heels exchanged 24 ties and seven lead changes throughout the match. Despite the many close scores, Byers maintains that the scoreboard doesn’t impact how the team plays.

“You don’t really want to pay too much attention to the score,” Byers said. “You want to go out there and work hard and fight hard and you want to be the first (team) to 25 (points) all the time.”

Virginia Tech will travel to Kentucky to

face No. 2 Louisville on Friday at 7 p.m. Byers noted that the Cardinals may be able to exploit the Hokies’ weaknesses, just as the Tar Heels did.

“(The ball is) gonna be coming fast, just like it came fast tonight,” Byers said. “If we’re not able to handle the ball, well then, we’re gonna have a hard time with that.”

MEN’S SOCCER SHUT OUT BY UNC

Amber williams | SPORTS editor

Tech fell 2–0 to UNC in Chapel Hill.

Virginia Tech (2–9–1, 0–5–0 ACC) came up scoreless on Friday night against the University of North Carolina (5–3–2, 2–2–1 ACC), falling 2–0 to the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.

UNC’s keeper Andrew Cordes shut out the Hokies, registering one save from a shot on goal from Hokies Misei Yoshizawa. This was Yoshizawa’s fourth time this season accom plishing the feat. Hokies’ goalie Ben Martino faced nine shots on goal, allowing a goal in both the first and second periods.

The Tar Heels opened the scoring at 22:53 with a goal from Key White. The goal was the redshirt-junior from Norfolk, Virginia’s second of the season. The final goal of the night was shot in by Milo Garvanian in the second period at 66:51. Garvanian was the biggest player of the game for UNC, as he also registered the key assist on the opening goal.

To add insult to injury, almost immediately following Garvanian’s goal, Virginia Tech’s Grant Howard fouled, receiving a yellow card. Tech never found a way to route UNC’s defense to find the back of the net.

The shots were 17–5 in favor of UNC and the Hokies received eight fouls to the Tar Heels’ 12.

The Hokies are the only team in the ACC who have not won an in-conference matchup this season, placing them at the bottom of the ACC standings. Tech will face another ACC opponent in its next matchup on Oct. 14 against Pittsburgh at home. The Hokies are 1–3–1 at home heading into the matchup.

Virginia Tech pregame team huddle, Sept. 20, 2022.

AIDAN MARTIN / COLLEGIATE TIMES