Liberty University
(15-2, 7-0BIG EAST)
Old Dominion
(13-4, 5-2BIG EAST)
Hamlett Scores Game Winner, No. 8 Liberty Defeats No. 16 ODU 2-1 for BIG EAST Regular Season Title
10/29/2021 7:09:00 PM | Field Hockey
Lizzie Hamlett's Game-Winning Goal
Shot of the Game: Lizzie Hamlett Goal
BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship Information
Liberty senior Lizzie Hamlett scored the game-winning goal with 39 seconds left on Friday afternoon, lifting No. 8 Liberty to a thrilling 2-1 win over No. 16 Old Dominion in front of its home crowd at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. With the victory, the Lady Flames secure the outright BIG EAST regular season title for the first time in school history.
Liberty finishes the regular season with a perfect 7-0 conference record, its first unbeaten BIG EAST regular season in program history. The Lady Flames improve to 15-2 overall and have won their last 12 games, matching a program record now shared with the 2013 team.
Liberty has secured the No. 1 seed for next week's 2021 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship at Connecticut. The Lady Flames will meet the No. 4 seed Temple Owls (8-9, 4-3 BIG EAST) next Friday in the BIG EAST semifinal round. The Owls edged No. 20 UConn 3-2 in overtime on Friday to earn their spot in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Old Dominion drops to 13-4 overall and 5-2 in the BIG EAST and sees its four-match winning streak snapped. The Monarchs will be the No. 3 seed for the BIG EAST Championship. They will face No. 2 seed UConn (9-10, 5-2 BIG EAST) a week from today in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals.
Scoring Summary
6' – OLD DOMINION – Delphine Le Jeune (unassisted) | Penalty Stroke
17' – LIBERTY – Lizzie Hamlett (Daniella Rhodes | Penalty Corner
60' – LIBERTY – Lizzie Hamlett (unassisted)
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 15-2, one save
L: Cam MacGillivray 13-4, eight saves
Turning Point
ODU's Delphine Le Jeune put the visitors on the board in the early going with a penalty stroke goal at the 5:53 mark for a 1-0 edge. Liberty answered early in the second quarter, as Lizzie Hamlett scored her first goal of the day. Hamlett's goal in the 17th minute was a tip in off a Daniella Rhodes sweep on the Lady Flames' second penalty corner of the match. Liberty and ODU were tied 1-1 at the break, with the Lady Flames holding a 7-2 edge in shots.
The game remained knotted at 1-1 into the fourth quarter when Monarchs forward Marlon De Bruinje was assessed a yellow card at the 56:49 mark. With a one-player advantage, Liberty broke through in the final minute to win the game.
Junior defender Jodie Conolly sent a ball into the circle to Charlotte Vaanhold, and Vaanhold ripped a reverse shot that was stopped by ODU goalkeeper Cam MacGillivray. The ensuing rebound bounced to Hamlett, who lifted a shot into the upper right side of the cage for the game-winning goal at the 59:21 mark.
Key Stats & Notes
• Hamlett's goals were her eighth and ninth of the season. The midfielder is third on the team with nine goals and tied for third on the squad with 23 points.
• Rhodes' first half assist was her seventh of the season. She leads the team in points with 37 (15 g, 7 a).
• Liberty outshot Old Dominion 14-5 in the contest and held an 8-1 edge in penalty corners. The Lady Flames' well-balanced offense featured nine different players who attempted a shot, led by three from Conolly.
• Lady Flames goalkeeper Azul Iritxity Irigoyen recorded one save and picked up her 15th win in cage this year.
• The Lady Flames' 12-match winning streak is currently the longest in the country. No. 1 Iowa (16-1) suffered its first setback of the season today, 2-1 at home to No. 6 Northwestern.
• Liberty improves to 6-2 against top-25 teams this season.
• The Lady Flames improve to 8-6 all-time against the Monarchs.
• Liberty finishes the regular season with a 7-1 home record and is 14-1 at the Liberty Field Hockey Field over the last two seasons.
Up Next
Liberty will open BIG EAST Championship play against fourth-seeded Temple (8-9, 4-3 BIG EAST), next Friday. Game time is 1 p.m. at UConn's George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex in Storrs, Conn.
Liberty bested Temple 6-1 on the road, Oct. 15. The Lady Flames are 10-1 all-time versus the Owls, including a 9-0 mark since joining the BIG EAST.
Team Stats
LE JEUNE, Delphine (7)
ODU LE JEUNE, Delphine PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 7 for season.
5:53
HAMLETT, Lizzie (8)
Assisted By: RHODES, Daniella
Tipped in on corner, swept by 10
16:03
HAMLETT, Lizzie (9)
Scored on rebound into top of cage
59:21
