FIELD HOCKEY (12-6, 5-1 BIG EAST)

Liberty’s bid to defend its Big East Championship came to an end Friday, as the No. 2 seed Lady Flames fell 1-0 to No. 3 seed Old Dominion in the conference tournament semifinals in Philadelphia.

The two teams played a scoreless first half before ODU found the net in the 52nd minute on a penalty corner. Liberty pushed for an equalizer in the closing minutes but was unable to find the breakthrough. The loss marked the first time all season Liberty had been shut out. The Lady Flames entered the contest averaging 3.47 goals per game, 5th best in the country, and had gone 25 consecutive games without being held scoreless. Liberty finished the match with advantages in shots (19-8), shots on goal (7-6), and penalty corners (7-5).

Liberty finishes the season 12-6 overall and 5-1 in Big East play. All six of Liberty’s setbacks were by one goal, going 3-6 in one goal games in 2026. The Lady Flames had earned the No. 2 seed after a strong regular season and were looking to capture their second consecutive conference tournament championship. Despite the semifinal loss, Liberty had five players earn All-Big East recognition, with Josefina Tomasi and Clarisa Iudicello receiving major conference awards.

It was certainly a disappointing year for the Lady Flames who had their eyes set on not just competing for a Big East Championship but also with national championship contention aspirations. Liberty entered this season having reached the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five seasons.

MEN’S SOCCER (7-7-3, 3-3 SOCON)

Liberty men’s soccer is headed to the SoCon Championship game for the first time since 2013 after knocking off No. 1 seed Furman, 3-2, in Sunday night’s semifinal in Greenville, South Carolina. The No. 5 seed Flames delivered a dramatic performance, scoring the game-winner with less than 12 minutes remaining while playing a man down. After Furman opened the scoring in the 38th minute, Goncalo Sousa answered just before halftime to send the teams into the break tied at 1-1.

Liberty grabbed the lead early in the second half when Pablo Matavele scored in the 50th minute off an assist from Ronnie Gorman. The Flames’ advantage was short-lived, however, as Furman equalized on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute after Liberty had been reduced to 10 men following a red card. With the match seemingly headed toward overtime, Lachlan Middleton provided the decisive moment in the 79th minute. Kyohei Eguchi found Middleton in the middle of the penalty area, and the midfielder buried his shot in the right corner to give Liberty the 3-2 lead.

Goalkeeper Dan Rose made three saves, several of them coming during Furman’s second-half push. The Paladins outshot Liberty 14-7, but the Flames capitalized on their opportunities to eliminate the two-time defending SoCon champions on their home field. The victory sends Liberty to its first conference championship game since 2013. The Flames will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, to face No. 3 seed UNCG on Saturday, Nov. 14, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.

Liberty advanced to the SoCon semifinals Thursday after defeating No. 4 seed ETSU in a penalty-kick shootout following a 2-2 draw. Samson Kpardeh scored both Liberty goals during regulation, converting a penalty kick in the 34th minute before giving the Flames a 2-1 lead in the 54th minute. ETSU answered three minutes later, and neither team found the net during overtime.

Liberty dominated much of the match statistically, outshooting the Buccaneers 33-12 and putting 13 shots on goal. Goalkeeper Dan Rose proved to be the difference in the shootout, stopping three of ETSU’s four attempts. Kpardeh, Lachlan Middleton, and Roope Salo converted their penalty kicks to send the Flames through to the next round. The victory was especially significant for Liberty, which was playing in its first SoCon tournament match after joining the conference this season.

WOMEN’S SOCCER (15-2-2, 7-0-1 CUSA)

Liberty women’s soccer opened its Conference USA Championship title defense with a 2-1 victory over No. 8 seed Sam Houston in Sunday’s quarterfinal round in Newark, Delaware. The No. 1 seed Lady Flames built a two-goal advantage in the first half and held on late after the Bearkats pulled within one in the closing minutes.

Margaret Garner opened the scoring in the 21st minute, working her way into the penalty area before beating the Sam Houston goalkeeper for her fourth goal of the season. Just six minutes later, CUSA Player of the Year Halle Engle doubled the advantage, finishing a long forward pass from Avery Paulson for her eighth goal of the year. Liberty controlled much of the match, outshooting Sam Houston 25-12 and putting nine shots on goal. The Bearkats managed just three shots in the first half before finding the net in the 81st minute on a loose ball following a corner kick.

The Lady Flames held off Sam Houston’s late push to secure the 2-1 victory and advance to the conference semifinals. The win extended Liberty’s unbeaten streak to 14 matches (13-0-1) and its unbeaten run against CUSA opponents to 24 games. The victory also marked just the second goal Liberty has conceded against a conference opponent this season, ending a stretch of more than 600 minutes and six consecutive shutouts.

Liberty will face No. 5 seed New Mexico State in Tuesday night’s CUSA semifinal, scheduled for 7 p.m. The Lady Flames are two wins away from successfully defending their conference tournament championship.

Liberty women’s soccer entered the week as the Conference USA regular-season champion and No. 1 seed in the conference tournament after finishing the regular season unbeaten in its final 13 matches. The Lady Flames closed the regular season with a 1-0 victory over Missouri State on Nov. 1, finishing a perfect 9-0 at Osborne Stadium. Halle Engle scored the game’s only goal in the 14th minute, while Liberty’s defense limited the Bears to just one shot.

Liberty earned 12 CUSA postseason honors, led by Engle, goalkeeper Alyssa Littleton, defender Gaby Leja, and Margaret Wedemeyer. Littleton also continued her strong season as the Lady Flames’ defensive anchor.

VOLLEYBALL (15-11, 7-7 CUSA)

Liberty volleyball faced a difficult weekend on the road, dropping both matches against Conference USA-leading Western Kentucky. The Lady Flames fell 3-0 on Friday, with the Hilltoppers winning 25-14, 25-18, and 28-26. Liberty battled back in the third set, fighting off match point and taking a late lead, but WKU closed the match with three consecutive points. Jenna Otts led Liberty with 11 kills, while Paige Overcash added 10 kills. Laney Daniell and Layla Collins contributed at the net, but WKU finished with a 14-7 advantage in blocks.

Liberty returned Saturday but again fell in straight sets, 25-22, 25-15, and 25-16. The Lady Flames struggled to find their rhythm against a Hilltopper team that remains unbeaten in conference play. The two losses drop Liberty to 15-11 overall and 7-7 in CUSA. The Lady Flames remain in the conference tournament picture but will need a strong finish to the regular season. Liberty returns to action Thursday, Nov. 12, when it hosts Delaware.