Virginia Tech looks to beat Notre Dame without Elizabeth Kitley in ACC semifinals

Ahead of their ACC Tournament opener Friday afternoon, Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks announced that Elizabeth Kitley was not going to play in the tournament after suffering an injury last Sunday night at Virginia. It should not have come as a surprise to anyone that the three-time ACC Player of the Year was going to be held out this weekend.

Without her, all eyes were on the Hokies to see how they would fare with her and the 11th-ranked team in the country in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and they passed the first test with a 55-47 victory over Miami. Things are going to be a lot more difficult for the top-seeded Hokies on Saturday when they play fourth-seeded Notre Dame in the semifinals.

Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame, How to Watch, Preview

This game will begin at noon and be broadcast on the ACC Network and streamed on FuboTV.

Sometimes they don't ask how, but if you win. That would be the best way to describe Virginia Tech's win over Miami. The Hokies shot just 34% from the field over 40 minutes and Georgia Amoore scored 23 of her 27 points in the second half. The only other Tech player in double figures was freshman Clara Strack with 10. Eight of those came in the first half.

Virginia Tech struggled with Miami's pressure on the ball and trying to get the ball to Amoore who played some off the ball leaving Cayla King and Carleigh Wenzel handling it. King finished with eight points, but Matilda Ekh finished with no points, something that can't happen against the Irish if they hope to advance to Sunday's championship game.

Notre Dame, which beat Virginia Tech, 71-58, on Feb. 29, withstood a late rally from Louisville to beat the Cardinals Friday. Freshman Hannah Hidalgo is a very good guard who gave Amoore fits in last week's meeting and will likely do it again on Saturday. It's going to take a monumental effort from the Hokies if they are going to win again without Kitley.