Liberty’s fall sports are officially underway all over campus, and we will provide weekly updates on all of the teams throughout the semester.
CROSS COUNTRY
Competing for the first time in four weeks, the men’s cross country team raced to a fourth place finish in the men’s gold race at last Saturday’s Paul Short Run. Nicholas Kiprotich paced the Flames to their best ever team finish at the meet.
Liberty will race at Panorama Farms in Charlottesville, Va. for the second time this season at the XC-23 Pre-Nationals, Oct. 14. The Flames’ first race of the day will take place at 9:30 a.m. at the site of the 2023 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
FIELD HOCKEY (12-1, 4-0 Big East)
No. 10 Liberty blanked Villanova, 6-0, on Friday at home to claim sole possession of first place in the Big East Conference. Liberty is the only remaining unbeaten team in the league following its sixth straight win overall. Six different Liberty players scored in the game as Pima Iturraspe, Reagan Underwood, Milagros Arteta, Kyleigh Faust, Tuti Dell Anna, and Martu Cian all found the back of the cage in the win.
On Sunday, the Lady Flames continued their stellar season with a win at No. 1 North Carolina, 2-1. Martu Cian scored in the game winning goal in double overtime to secure the victory. This is Liberty’s second win over UNC in the last three seasons, both of them coming on the road at Karen Shelton Stadium and it is the second all-time win over a No. 1 team in program history. The Tar Heels see their eight game win streak snapped in the defeat.
Liberty will return to action on Friday at Big East foe Quinnipiac. The Flames have moved up to No. 7 in this week’s ranking following the team’s wins.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (11-1-1, 2-1-1 CUSA)
Liberty earned a point in the CUSA standings on Saturday night at FIU with a 0-0 draw. The Panthers remain one point ahead of Liberty with a 2-0-2 CUSA record. The Lady Flames return to Lynchburg for a meeting with Jacksonville State on Thursday at 6 p.m. prior to a road trip to UTEP on Sunday at 3 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER (7-4, 2-2 OVC)
After defeating Chicago State 7-1 last week, Liberty headed to the Midwest to take for the rematch, falling, 2-0, at Chicago State on Thursday night. It was the first loss in OVC play for the Flames. The host Cougars netted two goals in the first half and then held Liberty in check throughout the match. The Flames were held to 11 shots in the game.
On Sunday, the Flames were defeated by SIUE, 2-0, in another OVC match. The visiting Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 advantage less than a minute into the contest and then matched the Flames defensive effort to hand Liberty its first setback at home this season.
Liberty continues OVC play with a road game against Eastern Illinois at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
VOLLEYBALL (8-10, 1-5 CUSA)
Liberty had Conference USA power Western Kentucky on the ropes last Wednesday evening in the second match of the series, following a 3-0 WKU sweep on Tuesday. The Flames led 2-1 before the visiting Hilltoppers rallied for the five set win at Liberty Arena.
The Lady Flames then hosted New Mexico State on Saturday and Sunday for two CUSA matches. Liberty secured its first ever Conference USA victory, defeating the Aggies, 3-1, on Saturday. On Sunday, NMSU evened the series with a 3-1 win.
Liberty hits the road once again this week to play at Jacksonville State on Friday and Saturday for two more CUSA matches.
