Virginia Tech defeated Clemson in a preseason friendly on a chilly, blustery Friday night in Blacksburg, Va.

Clemson, missing a couple of players due to injury and others to study abroad, started well, dominating possession early on. However, points were hard to come by, and that wasn't the case for Va Tech.

"Clemson controlled the first 10 to 15 minutes, and we had to be patient," said Virginia Tech Head Coach Andy Richards. "But when we went down into their 22 for the first time we came away with a try."

And that's how the game went. Both teams struggled with the stiff wind, which made restarts quite an adventure, but the Hokies simply got tries when they had the ball, and the Tigers had to work harder for their supper.

Virginia Tech debutant prop Carl Katz came on at halftime and scored within his first 30 seconds on a rugby field - he was one of the few forwards to score for Tech as the pack spent most of the game doing a superb job setting the platform for the backs. Junior Katz, said Richards, has all sorts of potential, and contributed to a solid scrum effort.

Going forward, the game is a confidence-booster for Tech, however Clemson shouldn't be too down.

"They controlled large chuncks of the game and while we got the result, I think Clemson will be better in the spring," said Richards.