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
The Liberty women’s cross country team recorded its best showing of the 2024 season to date, placing an impressive fourth at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational. Meanwhile, five Flames broke 24:00 in the men’s 8K at Burke Golf Course, helping the men’s team finish 15th overall.
One day later, a second group of Liberty women’s cross country runners fared well in the 50th Paul Short Run brown race on Saturday. The Lady Flames came in third of 35 squads with freshmen claiming seven of the team’s top eight positions at Lehigh’s Goodman Campus Cross Country Course.
Liberty will compete in two different races on Oct. 19. The men’s team and top women’s runners will take part in the Wisconsin Pre-Nationals, while the remainder of the Lady Flames will race at the Roanoke XC Invitational.
FIELD HOCKEY (7-5, 2-2 Big East)
Pennsylvania native and senior midfielder Ellie Livingston’s goal in the 58th minute lifted No. 19 Liberty past Villanova, 1-0, on Friday afternoon at the Villanova Field Hockey Field. It was head coach Nikki Parsley-Blocker’s 100th career win as head coach, improving to 100-47 in eight seasons leading the Lady Flames.
Liberty will host Quinnipiac in a Big East match on Friday at 1 p.m. before stepping out of conference play to host Longwood on Sunday at 1 p.m.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (12-1-3, 4-1-1 CUSA)
Ivy Garner’s first half goal helped lift Liberty to a 1-0 CUSA win at Sam Houston on Thursday night. It was the only goal of the game, coming in the 29th minute. Grace Workman faced eight shots in the shutout victory, recording her second shutout.
Garner was back at work on Sunday, knocking in a pair of second half goals to push the Flames past Louisiana Tech, 2-0. She has scored five goals in the past four games.
Liberty is back in action on Saturday playing at Bowling Green at 7 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER (5-5-1, 3-2 OVC)
Liberty’s win streak was snapped on Thursday afternoon in a 1-0 setback at Western Illinois. It was the first loss in OVC play and ends the Flames’ three-game winning streak. Liberty lost despite outshooting WIU, 16-6. On Sunday, SIUE broke a 1-1 tie with two late goals to propel to a 3-1 victory over the Flames.
Liberty continues conference play this weekend, hosting Eastern Illinois on Thursday night at 7 and Southern Indiana on Sunday at 1 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL (10-8, 4-2 CUSA)
Liberty saw its unbeaten mark in conference play fall over the weekend. The Lady Flames lost in five sets at Kennesaw State on Saturday and again in four sets on Sunday.
Liberty returns to Liberty Arena for a pair of contests this weekend, hosting Middle Tennessee on Friday at 6 p.m. and again on Saturday at 1 p.m.
