BLACKSBURG, VA. – Kyle McDowell scored and set up another goal to lead Virginia Tech to a 2-1 win over Campbell in the opening round of the NCAA College Cup Thursday night at Thompson Field.
 
McDowell scored in the 41st minute and provided the primary assist on Kyle Dover's 72nd minute winner to send the No. 27 Hokies (11-5-3) into the second round Sunday at West Virginia.
 
Daniel Hernandez equalized in the 56th minute for the Big South double winning Camels (15-4-2), whose 10-match unbeaten streak (9-0-1) came to a close.
 
"I'm proud of our guys; we've battled through injuries and adversity all season," said Campbell head coach Dustin Fonder.  "Next man up just kept stepping up and that's what they did tonight.  I'm proud of their effort. Virginia Tech's a good team. It's a tournament game and I'm proud of my locker room because they fought to the final whistle."
 
Making its third NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years, No. 29 Campbell nearly went in front in the 20th minute when Jake Morris' blast was on target, but Ben Martino was able to deflect the ball over his crossbar for a corner kick.
 
The Hokies went in front in the 41st minute when Dover sent a long diagonal pass into the box that Pol Monells controlled and left for Kyle McDowell, who deposited a right-footed shot into the lower left corner for his second goal of the year.
 
The Camels equalized after 55 minutes when George Bediko played a pass down the right flank to Franck Momo, who curled a cross into the box that Hernandez headed inside the right post for his ninth goal of the season.
 
Less than 10 minutes later, Momo again sent a dangerous ball into the area, but Hernandez' right-footed volley slid just wide of the right post.
 
The Camels had one final opportunity to draw level in the final minute when Kemy Amiche's corner kick fell to the feet of George Bediko, but his left-footed shot through traffic was covered by Martino.
 
The Camels finished with a 12-11 edge in shots, 10-3 in corner kicks.  Edu Rodriguez made four saves, while Martino had two for the Hokies.
 
Entering the match as the nation's top scoring team with 54 goals, the Camels were held to one or fewer for just the eighth time this season.  Campbell played its third-straight match without injured Big South offensive player of the year, Tyler Young, who led the league with 27 points (9 goals, 9 assists) this season.