Liberty University
(2-5, 2-0BIG EAST)
Quinnipiac
(1-8, 1-1BIG EAST)
Lady Flames Earn 6-1 Win Over Quinnipiac in BIG EAST Home Opener
9/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
The Liberty field hockey team earned a convincing 6-1 victory over Quinnipiac in its first home BIG EAST Conference contest on Friday.
Abby Julius scored two goals for the Lady Flames, while Agueda Moroni, Pippa Best, Kendra Jones and Serena Barr added goals in the game. Juniors Rachel Suter and Summer Parker tallied two assists apiece. The match was played in front of a regular-season record 702 fans at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
With the win, Liberty improves to 2-5 overall and 2-0 in BIG EAST play, while Quinnipiac falls to 1-8 and 1-1 in the BIG EAST.
The Lady Flames got on the board first in the 10th minute. Suter sent a ball in from outside the circle, and Moroni redirected it into the goal for her second goal of the season. In the 17th minute, Liberty added to its lead. Abby Julius took a pass from Suter and drilled the ball past Bobcats goalkeeper Olivia Golini to give Liberty a 2-0 edge.
Julius notched her second goal of the game and fourth of the season at 23:07. The sophomore took a penalty corner insert from Parker and fired a shot into the right corner, putting Liberty ahead 3-0 and causing QU to switch goalkeepers.
Quinnipiac took advantage of its only penalty corner of the contest just under three minutes later. Angie King found Lauren Belskie inside the left side of the circle, and Belskie fired a low strike past Liberty goalkeeper Allison Schaefer to cut the lead to 3-1, a score that would hold into intermission.
In the second half, the Lady Flames tacked on three more goals. Best scored her first goal of the season at 40:12. On Liberty's 10th penalty corner of the day, Serena Barr recovered Julius' blocked shot and sent a low sweep towards the net, which was redirected by Best into the back of the goal cage to give the hosts a 4-1 lead.
In the 45th minute, Best fought for position inside the circle and found Jones on the left post. Jones batted the ball past Bobcats goalkeeper Hannah Teicher for her third goal of the year.
Liberty notched its final tally at 64:33 on Serena Barr's fifth goal of 2016. The senior defender scored on the Lady Flames' final penalty corner of the match. Cassidy Bremner and Parker were credited with assists.
Liberty outshot Quinnipiac, 21-4, on the day and held a 13-2 advantage in shots on goal. Liberty also received 13 penalty corners to just one for QU. In goal, Schaefer recorded one save and earned the win, while Golini made one save and was credited the loss.
Liberty plays its next opponent, William & Mary (3-4), in a non-conference match on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Williamsburg, Va.
Team Stats
MORONI, Agueda (2)
Assisted By: SUTER, Rachel
Ball sent into box, redirected in
9:49
JULIUS, Abby (3)
Assisted By: SUTER, Rachel
Pass to left side off of penalty corner
16:54
JULIUS, Abby (4)
Assisted By: PARKER, Summer
Scored into right corner of goal off pen
23:07
Lauren Belskie (1)
Assisted By: Angie King
Pass to left off of penalty corner
26:06
BEST, Pippa (1)
Assisted By: BARR, Serena
Redirection of 9's shot
40:12
JONES, Kendra (3)
Assisted By: BEST, Pippa
Tipped in off pass to left post
44:11
BARR, Serena (5)
Assisted By: BREMNER, Cassidy , PARKER, Summer
Direct off penalty corner
64:33
