For the first time since 2016, the Liberty Lady Flames soccer team advanced to the NCAA College Cup, but the stay was brief as Liberty fell to No. 24 Washington, 3-0, on Tuesday night at the Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina. Under ASUN Coach of the Year Lang Wedemer, in his fourth season at Liberty, the Lady Flames finish the season at 7-6-5.
It took just 67 seconds for the Huskies to get on the scoreboard as Ameera Hussen was able to give Washington the early 1-0 lead, in Liberty’s first ever meeting against a PAC-12 opponent. The Huskies kept the pressure on the Flames, scoring a second goal in the minutes just prior to halftime to take a commanding 2-0 lead into the halftime break. The Huskies would add one more goal in the second half.
Liberty falls to 0-7 all-time in the first round of the NCAA College Cup, and has only scored one goal in the seven games, scoring against Wake Forest in 2000. Washington advances to the second round to play No. 15 Saint Louis.
The loss brings to an end Liberty’s season which was capped by an impressive four game run to the ASUN women’s soccer championship, the first conference championship for the program since 2016 when Liberty won the Big South. The Lady Flames entered the ASUN Tournament having won three games all season, yet Liberty won four matches in 10 days to complete the surprising run to the championship, including wins over the 1 seed in both the North and South divisions.
Liberty’s run included wins over the defending ASUN champions in Lipscomb, who was the 1 seed in the North Division in the quarterfinals. The Lady Flames defeated North Florida who was the No. 1 seed in the South Division and entered the match at 10-1 overall and undefeated in ASUN play with their only loss coming to Florida. Liberty becomes the first women’s soccer four seed to ever advance to the championship and are the only four seed to defeat a one seed in ASUN Championship women’s soccer history and the Lady Flames have done so twice.
Liberty was 0-2 all-time in the ASUN Championship prior to this year’s run and last won a conference championship in 2016 when Liberty won the Big South for a third time in four years. Liberty is now 7-3 all-time in conference championship matches.
The championship win came in dramatic fashion. After 90 minutes of action in regulation, the 4 seed in the North Division, Liberty and the 2 seed in the North Division, Kennesaw State were both scoreless as the match headed to overtime. With the clock ticking under one minute remaining in the first overtime period, Meredith King drew a penalty kick. It set up McKinley Burkett, the University of Tennessee transfer, for the game winning goal.
*Photo Courtesy: Liberty Athletics
