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
Despite tropical storm Ophelia, Liberty women’s cross country team still competed in the Virginia Invitational last Saturday, facing off against a challenging field that included 12 nationally ranked opponents. The Lady Flames finished with a 19th place team finish at Panorama Farms, led by Adelyn Fairley’s 34th place showing.
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 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 (10-1, 3-0 Big East)
No. 9 Liberty shut out Temple, 3-0, in a Big East Conference road game on Friday afternoon. Martu Cian, Jodie Conolly, and Bethany Dykema scored goals in the victory. With the win, Liberty improved to 10-1, the best 11-game start in program history.
The Flames will return to action on Friday against Villanova in Lynchburg at 3 p.m. Liberty is 9-0 all-time against the Wildcats.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (11-1, 2-1 CUSA)
For the first time in more than a year, Liberty’s women’s soccer team suffered a defeat. Liberty’s record unbeaten streak came to an end on Saturday as the visiting New Mexico State Aggies blanked the Lady Flames, 2-0. It is the team’s first loss since Sept. 11, 2022. With the win, the Aggies maintain sole possession of first place in Conference USA with a 4-0 record.
Liberty concludes its NCAA Division I leading unbeaten streak of 24 games (21-0-3). Liberty was the last Division I team with a perfect record this season.
Now, Liberty heads south for another CUSA matchup, facing FIU in Miami on Saturday at 6 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER (7-2, 2-0 OVC)
Liberty opened conference play with an easy, 7-1, win over Chicago State on Thursday night at Osborne Stadium. It was the first ever men’s soccer competition in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).
On Sunday, the Flames defeated Houston Christian, 3-1, to improve to 2-0 in conference play. Luke Eberle scored two goals for an early 2-0 advantage. Eberle is the OVC’s leading goal scorer and has now netted 7 goals on the season.
Liberty will now hit the road for its first ever OVC road match on Thursday as the Flames take on Chicago State at 8 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL (7-8, 0-3 CUSA)
Liberty dropped its 6th and 7th straight match over the weekend in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Lady Flames were swept by Middle Tennessee in its initial Conference USA match on Friday night. On Saturday in the rematch, Liberty jumped out to a win in the first set before the Blue Raiders won three straight sets.
Returning home for their first home match since Aug. 26, falling to the dominant Western Kentucky volleyball team in three straight sets on Tuesday evening. These two squads will meet once again on Wednesday.
