Associated Press
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Sonia Citron scored 19 points.Maddie Westveld added 18 points and No. 14 Notre Dame defeated No. 11 Virginia Tech 82-53 in the first semifinal of the ACC Tournament on Saturday.
The fourth-seeded Irish made 9-of-14 3-pointers for a 52% overall percentage against the Hokies, who were without three-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley. This was the worst loss ever for a top seed in this tournament. Kitley injured his knee in the final game of the regular season.
Notre Dame will face the winner of No. 6 seed Florida State and No. 2 seed and No. 10 North Carolina State University in the championship game for the first time since 2019.
Hannah Hidalgo scored 15 points for the Irish (25-6), which has won seven straight, Virginia Tech, which has won six straight, and Louisville, which is in the top four. Anna DeWolf added 14 points on 4-of-5 3-point shots.
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Georgia Amoore scored 24 points for Virginia Tech (24-7), which shot just 30 percent from the field. Olivia Sumiel had 10 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.
Notre Dame took control, scoring the first 15 points of the third quarter and using a 20-0 run to take a 48-23 lead by halftime.
Citron scored the final five points of the first half, started the game with a jumper, made another basket and then closed it out with a 3-point play.
Kyrie Watson cut the lead to 27 points with 4 1/2 minutes left, but just 30 minutes later, he left the game with a foot injury and was taken to the locker room. She returned to the bench on her crutches.
Amoore did his best to keep Virginia Tech in the game with 11 points, but Hidalgo scored the Irish's final seven points, making the lead 61-40 going into the fourth quarter.
DeWolf had two 3s. They went on a 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to win.
Westbelt scored Notre Dame's first seven points and the Irish took a 33-23 lead at the half. It was 15-12 after the first quarter, but Hidalgo and Citron started the second quarter with three seconds to play. Watson added two free throws to make it 23-12.
Amoore scored six straight points for the Hokies, but Citron made a 3-point play and two free throws to give the Irish a 10-point lead at intermission.
Notre Dame shot just 37 percent, but missed the arc on 5 of 8 attempts. Virginia Tech made 3 of 12 3s, shooting just 29 percent. The Irish shot 66% in the second half.
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