DAVE KNACHEL

Virginia Tech Jennifer Harvey, a Cave Spring graduate, has scored two goals for Virginia Tech this season. Harvey wears a protective mask in games because of a broken nose she suffered last month against Clemson.

BLACKSBURG -- Through the course of this season, Cave Spring graduate Jennifer Harvey has wound up with a broken nose, a concussion and two black eyes.

The Virginia Tech sophomore has also ended up in the NCAA women's soccer tournament for the first time. And it might not be for the last time.

The Hokies (10-8-4) will make the second NCAA appearance in their history when they visit Brigham Young at 9 p.m. tonight.

"We're kind of underdogs a lot, so we know how to handle that," said Harvey, a starting midfielder. "It's real exciting."

The Hokies' 2004 NCAA tournament team was carried by 2004 ACC freshman of the year Ashley Stinson, who dealt the program a setback when she transferred to Georgia after her sophomore season.

This year's squad has more talent throughout the lineup.

"We're more diversified in our ability to score," sixth-year coach Kelly Cagle said.

And with only two senior starters, the Hokies might not have to wait another four years before making a third NCAA appearance. Being an NCAA tournament regular will be the expectation from now on, said Cagle.

Forward Emily Jukich, an All-ACC second-team pick who has scored a team-high 15 goals, is a junior. So is forward Julian Johnson, who already owns the school mark for career assists (24). Goalkeeper Kristin Carden, who joined Jukich on the ACC all-tournament team, is a freshman.

"This is the culmination of a building process," Cagle said. "We've got a really good core returning [next year], probably our best core returning.

"We will have a good foundation."

This team is talented enough that it has overcome the loss of three players to season-ending injuries, including its most dynamic player, sophomore forward Marika Gray. The 2007 All-ACC second-team pick suffered a torn ACL in September.

"The injuries ... brought us together," Jukich said. "We realized that we needed a sense of urgency."

This is not a team full of prized recruits.

Johnson had limited options because she suffered two ACL injuries in high school. But Tech continued to recruit her, and her long, accurate throw-ins have set up many Hokie goals.

Jukich, who has scored a school-record 25 goals in her Tech career, orally committed to Tulane when she was in high school. The Clifton, Va., native instead signed with Tech after Tulane axed women's soccer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

"She has an incredible ability to find the back of the net," Harvey said.

Harvey, who has scored two goals this year, picked Tech over Elon. She wears a protective mask in games because of the broken nose she suffered against Clemson last month.

"My head's had a rough season," said Harvey, who got a concussion when she hit her head on a bar in the weight room in September.

The Hokies, who reaped an at-large NCAA bid Monday, are one of eight ACC teams in the 64-team tournament.

"Kelly does a great job with them," Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. "They lost ... Marika, so I think ... they've done a great job of assessing and working with the personnel they have and coming up with a system that suits them.

"They have a very hard-working, energetic team that's not going to give you a lot. ... They could knock off anybody on any given night."

The Hokies, who beat UVa last month for the first time, played their way off the bubble and into the NCAA field with three impressive outings last week.

They knocked off Duke for the first time in their Nov. 2 regular-season finale. In the ACC tournament, the seventh-seeded Hokies got past second-seeded Florida State and third-seeded UVa on penalty kicks before falling to North Carolina in Sunday's final.

"After every [ACC tournament] game, we couldn't believe it," Harvey said. "We looked around like, 'Is this really happening?' "

The Hokies hope to have the same feeling tonight.

"This is a special season, so we need to appreciate it -- and we need to defend it with our lives," Cagle said.

Year of the Woman in Blacksburg

2008 has been a big year for Virginia Tech women's athletics:

Softball: Reached Women's College World Series; Angela Tincher named national player of the year.

Track and field: Swept ACC indoor and outdoor titles for second straight year; Queen Harrison makes the Olympics.

Swimming: Jessica Botzum named ACC female swimmer of the year for second straight year.

Soccer: Makes NCAA tournament for second time in its history.

Volleyball: 18-8 so far this fall, including 9-6 in ACC.