Liberty opened the week with a 3-0 sweep over Radford on Tuesday at the Dedmon Center. The Lady Flames overcame a 9-3 deficit in the second set. Liberty later led 24-23 before Radford tied it up. Jenna Otts gave Liberty set-point chances with kills at 25-24, 26-25, and 27-26. Laney Daniell then clinched the 28-26 win and 2-0 match lead with a kill. Liberty then raced out to a 14-3 lead in the third set, claiming the match with a 25-16 win.

On Friday, Liberty went 1-1 at the Hofstra Invitational, falling in straight sets to Army before pulling off a come from behind 3-2 win over Hofstra.

Set one against Army proved to be the closest of the match, with eight ties and five lead changes. Army used a 6-2 run to pull out to a 20-15 lead. Liberty then scored back to back points, including a Laney Daninell kill to make it 20-17. However, Hannah Hankerson scored three kills down the stretch to help the Black Knights win, 25-19. Army took sets two and three, hitting .500 or better in both sets.

Against Hofstra, Liberty bounced back from a 2-0 deficit with a set-three triumph, but trailed 22-21 in set four. The Lady Flames closed out set four on a 4-1 run, with Paige Over cash sending it to a fifth set with a kill. The fifth set belonged to the Lady Flames and Jenna Otts. After trailing 4-3, Otts scored five kills and Carly O’Brien served two aces during a 10-0 Lady Flames rally. Otts sent down the Lady Flames’ final two kills of the match, giving her seven fifth-set kills and the Lady Flames the 15-6 win.

On Saturday, Liberty bounced back from a set-one loss, rallying for a four-set victory over Fairfield, last season’s MAAC Champions. Liberty posted a 2-1 weekend at the Hofstra Invitational against a field which went a combined 66-19 last season.

Fairfield led the match 1-0 and held a 17-16 second set lead. However,  Layla Collins tied it with a kill, sparking Liberty to a 9-1 set clinching run. After Liberty ran away with set three, 25-15, the Lady Flames found themselves in a 21-21 tie during the fourth set. Otts contributed to the next three points, with a kill, block assist, and a solo block. Following a Fairfield side out, Overcash’s kill ended the match.

The Lady Flames return home for each of the next four matches, beginning Thursday (6 p.m.) and Friday (5 p.m.) when they host North Alabama for a pair of contests on alumni weekend from Liberty Arena.

An update on the rest of Liberty’s fall sports from around campus:

WOMEN’S SOCCER (7-2-1, 0-0 Big East)

Halle Engle’s tally in the 82nd minute was all that was needed in Liberty’s 1-0 shutout win over James Madison at home on Thursday night. Goalkeeper Ainsley Leia recorded a season high mark of six saves to secure the shutouts.

JMU presented a physical challenge to Liberty, which was missing a key piece of its defense in its center back, Lauren Littleton. The Dukes held a 7-5 edge in shots at the conclusion of the first half, while each team recorded three shots on goal. The two teams were eyeing a draw entering the final 10 minutes, but Engle broke through with eight minutes remaining. The Dukes managed a single shot attempt in the final eight minutes of the contest as the Lady Flames killed the clock to earn the victory.

On Sunday, Liberty scored in the opening and closing minutes to hold off Old Dominion for a 2-1 home triumph. The Lady Flames honored 11 members of its senior class in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony. The Flames conclude its non-conference schedule with seven wins, including five straight. The Lady Flames improve to 5-0 at home this season.

Halle Engle opened the game in the first minute with a goal. ODU would then keep Liberty from recording a shot for 42 minutes as they recorded 12 shots in the game with five on goal. The Monarchs equalized the contest shortly into the second half with a penalty shot and score. After struggling to create a chance, Liberty’s wave of second half substitutes provided the spark it was seeking. In the 71st minute, Liberty created a turnover in its defensive zone. Freshman Audrey Heustis brought the ball up before sending a deep ball from midfield. Fellow freshman Izzie Smulik never broke stride, holding off her defender just enough to pop a shot over the goalkeeper’s outstretched glove.

Liberty will enjoy a week off before opening CUSA action at home against Western Kentucky (5-0-2) on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 11:30 a.m.

FIELD HOCKEY (4-2, 0-0 Big East)

No. 11 Virginia edged No. 13 Liberty, 2-1, Friday afternoon in the Lady Flames’ home opener at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. The Cavaliers’ Caitlin Connell scored what proved to be the game winner with 29 seconds left int he third quarter. Liberty sees its 14-match home winning streak snapped, a streak that started on Oct. 6, 2024.

After Liberty could not convert on its fourth penalty corner of the game in the closing minute of the third frame, Virginia scored the go-ahead goal. Connell led a breakaway opportunity and sent a shot past Lady Flames goalkeeper Diane Saint Martin for a 2-1 lead at the 44:31 mark. The Lady Flames made a final push over the last 15 minutes, recording four shots (three on goal) and one penalty corner. Avery Pollack notched back to back shots within a six-second span, but UVA’s Nilou Lempers saved both shots.

On Sunday, Liberty celebrated Senior Day with an 8-0 shutout win over Longwood. Freshman Clarisa Iudicello notched her first career three goal game and six total Liberty players scored in the game. Mia Santana and Alexia Guedouar both notched their first career goals as Liberty bolstered its overall record to 4-2 on the season.

Liberty attempted 52 shots on the game, a program single game record. Liberty held a 52-2 edge in total shots and 31-1 edge in shots on goal.

The Lady Flames will continue its homestand on Saturday against No. 16 Miami (Ohio).

MEN’S SOCCER (2-3-1, 0-0 SOCON)

The Flames cut their deficit to one with 20 minutes to play, but could not find the equalizer, falling to Virginia, 3-2 at Klochner Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Liberty struck for the match’s first goal in the seventh minute. Pable Matavele found Goncalo Sousa open on the left side of the 18-yard box for an open shot, which Sousa buried for a 1-0 advantage. Virginia then pushed for a 3-1 advantage into halftime. Sousa later threaded the ball into the center of the box for Kyohei Equchi who scored, slicing the Flames’ deficit to 3-2 during the 69th minute. However, the host Cavaliers were able to hold off a late attack for the Flames for the victory.

The Flames held a 13-11 edge over Virginia in shot attempts. The Flames had five s hits on goal while the Cavaliers had six. Liberty doubled up Virginia in corner kicks, 8-4.

Liberty will play its first SoCon match in program history its next time out. The Flames will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina to face the UNCG Spartans on Saturday. Game time at UNCG Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

CROSS COUNTRY

The Liberty men’s and women’s cross country squads utilized a pack running strategy for much of the Eye Opener, last Friday at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Their efforts resulted in a runner-up finish for the Flames and a third-place showing for the Lady Flames to kick off the season.

For the third consecutive season, the Flames and Lady Flames will compete in the adidas XC Challenge, September 18 in Cary, North Carolina.