The Irish have been dominating, emerging as the analysts' favorites, particularly with their women's basketball team establishing itself as a formidable force. The undisclosed absence of Elizabeth Kitley for the ACC tournament and subsequent games significantly weakened the Lady Hokies on both offense and defense.
The narrow, low-scoring victory against Miami hinted at the Hokies' potential in the matchup. However, it was evident that unless they could replicate a similar defensive effort against the Irish, victory seemed unlikely. Unfortunately, this prediction materialized in yesterday's game. Following Liz's absence before the ACC Tournament, the Hokies lacked sufficient depth. Despite staying relatively close in the first quarter, trailing by only three points (15-12), the Hokies failed to win a quarter or establish a sustained scoring run. Early lead changes were fleeting, as Notre Dame steadily built their lead, leaving the Hokies struggling to catch up.
Olivia Summiel stepped up big with 10 points and 18 rebounds. Georgia Amoore did what she could and finished with 24 points.
Notre Dame had several players in double figures that came up big in the win 82-53 over Virginia Tech.