Everything From Virginia Tech's Carleigh Wenzel and Kayl Petersen After Win Over Towson

Virginia Tech guard Carleigh Wenzel and forward Kayl Petersen spoke to the media following the Hokies' 100-56 victory over Towson. Here's the entirety of what they had to say.

On Petersen's first career double-double, her thoughts on her and the team's performance:

KP: "Just something getting back to the confident side of of me. Saw a little bit of freshman year, a little bit of jitters. So, we're back sophomore year, just playing confident. Teammates are getting me open shots and that's really what it was and rebounding, which is my job."

On the flow of the game:

CW: "Yeah, that's what we're trying to, I guess, incorporate this year. Last year, I think we kind of settled things down a lot. That's just not what we want to do this year. Kind of get things going, whether that be defensively, getting steals and getting out or just getting it up right off the net. Aand pushing pace. And I think Kilah [Freelon], one, did a really good job for us just running the court. I think the length that she brings in athleticism is a game changer for us. So, I think she was really good for us. And then when the guards run their lanes, that just opens up so much for the ball handler, being me and Mac most times."

On 76 shots (nine from beyond the arc) and whether the team will play more at the rim:

b"I think our goal this year is to be an inside-out team. Kind of get paint touches first and then we can work from there. We're a really good three-point shooting team. We're really good in transition. But, again getting to defensive stops, whether those are steals, those are easy buckets for us."

On Kilah Freelon's debut (15 points, 11 rebounds) and what she brings to the table:

CW: "I think, just her energy. I think she's a great person on and off the court. And the smile you see on the court is exactly what you see off the court. So, she's just super reliable. And that's not something you have all the time. And so, I think what she brings, we know what she's going to do day in and day out. And I think right now, it's just on a bigger stage than what we've been seeing in practice every day."

On if there was something about the particular matchup that enabled Petersen's production:

KP: "I wouldn't say necessarily just this matchup. Like I said before, just the confidence to to be able to come out on the court, a yar under my belt now. Stronger, whether that's in the weight room and then, on the court obviously. Again, just rebounding which is obviously my job and then teammates just getting me open for shots."

On what her goals and areas of improvement were heading into the season:

KP: "A little bit of everything. Pretty versatile. So, one big thing was a motor to rebound offensively. And then another big thing was knocking down open shots. And then, posting up hard."

On having Samyha Suffren back from injury (Suffren missed the latter portion of the 2024-25 campaign):

CW: "I think she's just a great person, like Kilah. She works extremely hard and I think this last year has been hard, both physically and mentally as it would anybody. So, for her to come back and kind of just, one, get that confidence back in live game, I think she's going to be extremely great for us, I'd say, especially defensively and when she can get out, I don't think that's anybody that can stop her, especially when her confidence is as high as it was tonight."

On Petersen's 17-point performance, a career-high, and what it means to her:

KP: "Just like I said before, I'm just out here playing basketball, teammates getting me open. I'm getting offensive rebounds. You can expect a little bit more from me this year just because of the confidence. So, it's just another game and we're going to take a day off and get ready to move on the next one."

On what stood out about the third quarter, a lopsided 34-12 margin in favor of the Hokies:

KP: "That's just our defensive side of things. Our defense fuels our offense and when it's the other way around, we seem to have pretty consistent even scoring between Towson and us. So, just being able to get defensive stops and then get out in transition and and push the pace is is what led to that."

On the team's other two transfers, Mel Daley (Northwestern) an Sophie Swanson:

CW: "I think Mel, her pull-up game is outrageous. And just her athleticism again, she's extremely good for us defensively. And then Soph, I think if y'all watch her without seeing her in practice, you probably think that the shots she takes are like crazy. But no, that's like what she does. And she hits them. So, waiting for her to get hot, but when she does, I think she's really dangerous for us. She's on a minute restriction, too. So whenever she's back fully healthy for us, I think she'll be extremely dangerous. As well as Mel just getting confident and continuing to get minutes under her. She's a vet, so she knows what she's doing out there and things like that. But Kilah again, her athleticism, they just bring things that we need. Minutes under them, games under them. Just vet players."

On the value of the non-conference games for the new freshmen:

KP: "It's a confidence builder, seeing what it's like to play at the collegiate level. Because it's different, let me tell you. So, just being able to to do that and then to just adapt to different different things on the court and kind of see what the pace is like, see what it's like to play in Cassell [Coliseum], stuff like that."

On Wenzel playing alongside Mackie Nelson and dividing the ball-handling:

CW: "Yeah, it is [a] weight off your shoulders when you know somebody right behind you is doing the job you're doing. And I trust her 100%. I know she trusts me 100%. So, just knowing that either way the ball comes out whoever it is, we've practiced just getting out and going, Mac doesn't have to stay back, I don't have to stay back. And that just helps the offense flow in all types of ways. And I know she's been working so much on her um offense this off season, so waiting for her to kick it off. But she's definitely somebody that you trust 100%. I know she was 3-for-6 tonight, which is great. That's exactly what we need from her. But I'm just waiting for her to continue being that offensive threat because I know she's going to, that's exactly what she's been doing all summer."

On what changed entering the second half:

CW: "Just strictly defense, just picking up our defensive intensity, making things a little bit harder for them. Seeing what we can get it, just kind of flutter them a little bit, see what we can get out of them. And then push the ball, get the ball out the net if it goes in, try not to let them get easy shots, just contest. And I know we struggled a little bit with the fouls towards the end but that was another thing. Just playing solid [defense], not selling out for anything, not reaching stuff like that. But again, like Kayl said, defense fuels our offense and so, that's kind what we focused on coming out of half and I think that showed."