Lynchburg Reporter

No. 16 Liberty earned a 1-0 shutout win over visiting Temple on Senior Day, Friday afternoon at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.

The Lady Flames’ shutout, their ninth of the season, establishes a new program record. All nine Liberty wins this season have come in shutout fashion. Entering today, this year’s squad shared the shutout record with the 2013 team (eight shutouts, 17-5 overall record).

Liberty improve to 9-5 on the year and bolsters its BIG EAST mark to 5-0. Liberty has won 15 straight BIG EAST regular season contests. Temple slips to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in league play and sees a three-match winning streak ended.

Scoring Summary

44’ – LIBERTY – Jodie Conolly (Lizzie Hamlett and Bethany Dykema) | Penalty Corner

Goalkeepers

W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 9-5, four saves

L: Molly Frey 10-4, four saves

Turning Point

Liberty’s sixth and final penalty corner of the afternoon netted the game winner. Following an insert from Bethany Dykema and stick stop from Jodie Conolly, Conolly fired a forehand shot into the right side of the cage. The goal, her fourth of the season, came at the 43:57 mark and gave the Lady Flames their only tally of the day.

Temple earned two penalty corners and attempted two shots in the final quarter, but Liberty’s defense held firm for the shutout.

Key Stats & Notes

• Prior to the game, the program honored its six-player senior class – Reese Canaday, Santia McLaughlin, Mackinzie Thompson, Lizzie Hamlett, Charlotte Vaanhold and Daniella Rhodes – with a special ceremony.

• In the Lady Flames’ nine wins this season, they have outscored their counterparts a combined 50-0.

• Liberty’s streak of 15 straight BIG EAST regular season triumphs dates back to the spring 2021 campaign. The Lady Flames’ last conference regular season loss was a 2-1 setback to No. 16 Old Dominion on March 26, 2021. Liberty is 43-9 all-time in BIG EAST regular season action (seven seasons).

• Junior goalkeeper Azul Iritxity Irigoyen made four saves and notched her seventh shutout of 2022. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native is now tied for the program record in career shutouts with 16. She shares the record with former netminder Allison Schaefer (16 shutouts, 2016-19).

• Conolly’s goal was the 14th of her Liberty career. The South Africa native has 14 goals, 21 assists and 49 points in 53 career games (all starts) for the Lady Flames.

• Temple held an 11-9 edge in shots and 7-6 advantage in penalty corners. The Liberty defense has not yielded a goal on a penalty corner this year, as opponents are 0-of-46 (on first chances on corners). Liberty’s seven corners allowed today ties the most they have allowed in a match this year.

• Liberty improves to 12-1 all-time versus Temple. Since joining the BIG EAST Conference, the Lady Flames are 11-0 against the Owls. This is only the second time Liberty has won by one goal against Temple. The other time came on Oct. 4, 2015, a 3-2 road overtime win a year prior to joining the conference.

Up Next

The Lady Flames will be back in action for their final home game against No. 6 Virginia (9-4), Tuesday. Game time is 4 p.m. at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.

Liberty is 1-5 all-time against Virginia. The two teams last met on Oct. 28, 2019, a 1-0 Cavaliers win on their home turf. Liberty’s one win against UVA came in 2018 at the Liberty Field Hockey Field, a 3-2 overtime triumph.

Original source can be found here.