Virginia Tech Hokies will Face the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in a Bid for the Elite Eight

Mar 21, 2023 - 4:59 PM

UPDATE:

The Game date and time has been announced.

Now, Comes Work

The Tennessee Lady Volunteers have pretty much demolished the Toledo Lady Rockets, 94-47 to advance to face Virginia Tech in the Sweet 16 round in Seattle.

Tech has already faced the Lady Vols this season. It was an early big challenge game that Tech took by three, 59-56 in Knoxville. Kayana Traylor showed up big in that one, demonstrating that she could have a serious offensive impact on the team if the opponent spent too many resources shutting down Liz Kitley. Traylor scored 18, Cayla King scored 11 and Georgia Amoore added in 10. D’asia Gregg also scored 10 points and played half the game off the bench. The game was noteworthy because they were the first team to successfully shut down Liz Kitley’s scoring. She did have 6 points, but her contribution was 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and the critical factor of absorbing a double team.

It was a significant win for the Hokies, early and often discounted because it wasn’t Pat Summit’s Lady Vols. They are still a dangerous team, and even at 25-11 are a serious threat to the Hokies.

The Vols are likely to repeat the attempt to shutdown Kitley’s scoring, but Liz is a different player after the first half of the season passed. She’s tougher inside, less likely to be intimidated, and certainly not concerned with double and triple teams when she has Soule, Traylor, King, and Amoore in the starting lineup. The bench work from D’asia Gregg, and Taylor Geiman has made a big difference as the season closed.

It’s going to be a rematch where both sides are looking for something significant. That’s going to make for a contest to watch. Too bad the Cassell Guard won’t be there in force. Hopefully there are some folks with some money and live in the Pacific Northwest to cheer for the Hokies.

We’ll see. The game times have not been set for the weekend. We’ll get that out as soon as we can.

As Always!!!

GO HOKIES!!!!