Virginia Tech Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Syracuse

A Defining ACC Win for the Hokies

Following their difficult loss to No. 13 Louisville this past Sunday, the Virginia Tech Hokies picked up a momentous victory against the Syracuse Orange on January 8^th. Entering this competition, the Hokies were looking to not only end their 2-game conference losing streak (with the previous losses being to Miami and Louisville), but also to make a statement further into ACC play. Despite this matchup for the Hokies being on the road at Syracuse, Virginia Tech appeared to easily shake off the crowd noise, as well as any negative outside narrative. On paper, Syracuse looked to be a challenging matchup for the Hokies, given that before this contest they were 13-2 overall and 3-1 thus far in ACC play. Virginia Tech struggled early against conference opponents, dropping to 1-3 before this competition. This game between the Hokies and Orange was truly a test to what both teams actually had to offer. Hungry to improve their ranking in the ACC, the Hokies dominated with a 20-point margin of victory, beating the Orange 77-57. That said, this big win for Virginia Tech did not come without hard work, blood, sweat, or tears (literally).

The Hokies and Orange started this contest going back and forth, exchanging buckets and the lead in the first quarter. Carys Baker got Virginia Tech started with a mid-range jumper. Baker was one of the five Hokies to score in double digits against the Orange. Numerous times in this matchup, Virginia Tech guard Carleigh Wenzel found her teammates and provided pristine passes. Wenzel finished the game with 5 assists, matching the Hokies’ Mackie Nelson’s 5 assists as well. Both also scored in double figures (Wenzel: 18 and Nelson: 13). Nelson is ranked as one of the best passers in the country. Her season and career high 12 assists came during the Hokies’ matchup with the Florida State Seminoles back in mid-December of 2025. Alongside Wenzel’s 18 points that led Virginia Tech in scoring was Samyha Suffren’s 16 points accompanied by a strong 12 points and 6 rebounds from Kilah Freelon. Given that there were five Hokies who scored in double figures, there appeared to be a better click within the offense in comparison to that in their matchup against Louisville.

Setbacks for the Hokies and Orange

Despite starting strong against the Orange and building a smooth 7-point lead at the end of the first quarter, the Hokies experienced a large hiccup. After sinking both free throws halfway through the second quarter and putting the Hokies up by 14, Kayl Petersen’s ability to battle with Syracuse’s star center, Uche Izoje was looking promising. That said, less than 60 seconds later, Petersen took a hard hit in the post from Izoje. After Angelica Velez dished the ball into the paint to Izoje, Petersen went to swarm the ball on defense alongside Mel Daley and Kilah Freelon. In the process, Petersen was struck in the face by Izoje’s shin as she forcefully kicked her leg up in the air fighting for the ball, sending Petersen to the floor in anguish. Not only was this a shocking and terrifying scene for the Hokies as blood poured from Petersen’s face, but it was also a setback as Kayl Petersen was one Coach Duffy was relying on in the moment to silence the scoring and rebounding ability of Syracuse’s Uche Izoje. Petersen was immediately attended to and taken to the locker room for further help and evaluation. She returned to the bench in the third quarter but remained on the sideline for the rest of this matchup. As a result of the play, Izoje was issued a Flagrant 1 foul after review. Nonetheless, Virginia Tech rallied as a team to finish the game strong and efficiently. The Hokies ended this contest shooting nearly 67% from beyond the arc, a significant improvement from their 3-point shooting struggles in recent games. This efficient shooting was exhibited through the refined shot selections by dialing back on forced attempts. By doing so, Virginia Tech not only found numerous ways to score on all three levels but also maintained consistency with their play in all four quarters. This style will be valuable in the future for the Hokies beyond solely this 20-point victory.

In terms of setbacks in this contest, the Syracuse Orange did not experience anything quite like that of Petersen’s injury. The Orange suffered greatly from behind the arc. Coming into this game, Syracuse had been struggling with a team 3-point percentage of 27% on the season. This cold streak from deep continued for the Orange as they only connected on 3/12 against the Hokies (25%). Not only did Syracuse struggle with 3-point shooting, but also in finding a strong scoring groove. The Orange’s greatest scoring run was found late in the second quarter with a 6-point run. This was nothing compared to the Hokies’ greatest run of 13-points and biggest lead of 26 points. This lack of efficiency from Syracuse as a team truly weighed down the scoring ability of their starters aside from Laila Phelia. Despite her balanced 4/9 shooting on the night, Phelia’s consistent 12-point game was not enough for the Orange to prevail. Will Syracuse be able to pick up the momentum they started with as they continue ACC play?

What’s Next for Virginia Tech?

After securing the conference victory at Syracuse, Virginia Tech looks to host ACC opponent, Boston College, on January 11^th. With the spectacular environment found in Cassell Coliseum alongside Boston College’s struggles, the Hokies look to prove themselves yet again in ACC play. The Eagles are 4-14 and winless in the ACC so far this season with only one player averaging double figure points, Lily Carmody (11.7). This upcoming contest with the Eagles may serve as a confidence boost for the Hokies as they hope to take home another conference win.