Liberty University
(9-2, 4-0BIG EAST)
Villanova
(5-8, 1-3BIG EAST)
No. 10 Liberty Blanks Villanova 7-0 in BIG EAST Action, Bolton Sets Points Record
10/8/2021 7:09:00 PM | Field Hockey
No. 10-ranked Liberty ran its winning streak to six games overall with a 7-0 blanking of Villanova in BIG EAST action, Friday afternoon at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
Liberty improves to 9-2 overall and stays in first place in the BIG EAST at 4-0. Villanova drops to 5-8 and 1-3 in the BIG EAST.
Liberty senior forward Jill Bolton recorded her fourth career three-goal game today and established a new program record for career points in the process. Coming into the day, Bolton had 134 career points and needed two points for the new school record of 136 points. Bolton's three-goal, six-point day pushed her career point total to 140 (54 g, 32 a). The senior also moved into a tie for second place in career goals, as she now has 54.
The Lady Flames also received goals from Jodie Conolly, Daniella Rhodes, Bethany Dykema and Martu Cian in the victory.
Scoring Summary
2' – LIBERTY – Jodie Conolly (Bethany Dykema and Lizzie Hamlett) | Penalty Corner
7' – LIBERTY – Daniella Rhodes (unassisted)
14' – LIBERTY – Bethany Dykema (Jodie Conolly) | Penalty Corner
21' – LIBERTY – Jill Bolton | Penalty Stroke
26' – LIBERTY – Jill Bolton (Mackinzie Thompson)
30' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (Reagan Underwood)
55' – LIBERTY – Jill Bolton (Lizzie Hamlett and Maddie Hosler | Penalty Corner
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 9-2, two saves
L: Jordan McGinley 3-8, three saves
Turning Point
Liberty scored three first quarter goals to take command of the game in the early going. Exactly one minute into the contest, Lady Flames junior Jodie Conolly scored on Liberty's first penalty corner of the day, assisted by Lizzie Hamlett and Bethany Dykema.
Junior forward Daniella Rhodes scored her ninth goal of the season at the 6:30 mark, finding the back of the cage on a rebound for a 2-0 advantage for the hosts. Later in the period (13:47), Conolly assisted on Dykema's third goal of the season for a 3-0 Lady Flames edge.
Bolton's first of three goals on the day came courtesy of a penalty stroke at the 20:39 mark. The goal gave Bolton 136 points, as she moved past Agueda Moroni (135 points, 2016-18) into the top spot for career points.
Key Stats & Notes
• Liberty outshot Villanova 31-3 in the contest. The 31 shots are a season high for the Lady Flames and tied for the seventh most in a game in school history. Liberty put 20 shots on frame, compared to three for Villanova.
• Bolton and Rhodes paced the Liberty attack with six total shots apiece. Ten different Lady Flames attempted shots in the contest.
• Liberty drew 12 penalty corners while not allowing a Villanova short corner in the match. Prior to Friday, the last time the Lady Flames did not surrender a corner was against the Wildcats during the spring 2021 campaign (Feb. 20) at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
• Liberty's seven goals are its most since scoring seven against Villanova on Feb. 21, 2021. The Lady Flames have scored exactly seven goals versus the Wildcats in three straight meetings.
• This is the Lady Flames' fourth shutout of the season and third in the last five games.
• During Liberty's current six-game winning streak, the Lady Flames have outscored their opponents 27-4.
• Liberty improves to 8-0 all-time versus the Wildcats, including a 7-0 mark in BIG EAST games.
• BIG EAST Freshman of the Week Martu Cian continued her strong play with another goal, her fourth of the fall, late in the second quarter. Cian leads all Liberty freshmen in goals (4), assists (1) and points (9).
• Senior Lizzie Hamlett matched a career high with two assists in the game. The midfielder ranks third on the squad in goals (5) and points (14) and tied for fifth in assists (4).
• Liberty entered the game as the national leader in assists per game at 3.50 per contest and tallied seven assists today.
• All 23 field players and two Liberty goalkeepers saw playing time in the contest. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Santia McLaughlin played the final 15 minutes in cage. Starting goalkeeper and reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week Azul Iritxity Irigoyen made two saves in three quarters of action, earning her ninth victory of the fall.
• Friday's contest between the Lady Flames and Wildcats was the inaugural Colon Cancer Awareness game. This game was honor Liberty Assistant Coach Heather Hefner's mom, Susan Wiley, who passed away due to colon cancer in June of 2014. The game was also in support of Todd Lucas, pastor of Liberty Head Coach Nikki Parsley-Blocker while at Northwestern, who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. Flames Nation raised $3,114 for the cause. For more information and to donate to the cause, visit https://donate.coloncancercoalition.org/fundraise-your-way-general/FieldHockey.Â
Today's game between Liberty and Villanova was the inaugural Colon Cancer Awareness Game for the Liberty field hockey program.
Up Next
No. 10 Liberty will battle No. 9 North Carolina (7-4) on the road, Sunday afternoon. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. and can be seen on the ACC Network.
Team Stats
CONOLLY, Jodie (3)
Assisted By: DYKEMA, Bethany , HAMLETT, Lizzie
Scored on corner into left side
1:00
RHODES, Daniella (9)
Scored on rebound
6:30
DYKEMA, Bethany (3)
Assisted By: CONOLLY, Jodie
Scored from left side on feed from 8
13:47
BOLTON, Jill (10)
LIBERTY BOLTON, Jill PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 10 for season.
20:39
BOLTON, Jill (11)
Assisted By: THOMPSON, Mackinzie
Give and go, 25 scored into open net
25:42
CIAN, Martu (4)
Assisted By: UNDERWOOD, Reagan
Scored in open net on feed from 2
29:21
BOLTON, Jill (12)
Assisted By: HAMLETT, Lizzie , HOSLER, Maddie
Scored on corner into right side
54:09
