No. 4 Liberty Hits the Road for Two Games at No. 17 Old Dominion
3/25/2021 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Live Video: Liberty at Old Dominion (Friday) (Monarchs All-Access ($))
Live Stats: Liberty at Old Dominion (Friday)
Live Video: Liberty at Old Dominion (Friday) (Monarchs All-Access ($))
Live Stats: Liberty at Old Dominion (Saturday)
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The fourth-ranked Liberty field hockey team will hit the road for a pair of BIG EAST Conference games at No. 17 Old Dominion, Friday and Saturday.
Friday's contest between the Lady Flames and Monarchs will get started at 11 a.m. Saturday's match will commence at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at ODU's L.R. Hill Sports Complex in Norfolk, Va.
No. 4 Liberty (9-1, 7-1 BIG EAST) is off to its best 10-game start in program history and moved up one spot in this week's Penn Monto/NFHCA Division National Coaches Poll. The Lady Flames' No. 4 ranking is their best mark in school history. Liberty defeated No. 12 Duke 3-2 in double overtime in its most recent game, last Sunday.
Old Dominion is 4-3 overall and 4-2 in the BIG EAST, with both setbacks in conference coming to Liberty at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. The Monarchs have not competed since March 7 at Liberty.
The Lady Flames swept a two-game series with the Monarchs, March 6 and 7 in Lynchburg. Liberty bested ODU 4-1 in the game one and earned a 2-0 game two shutout. Liberty is 6-4 all-time against ODU, including a 5-3 mark against the Monarchs since joining the BIG EAST in 2016.
Attendance
The L.R. Hill Sports Complex will welcome 600 fans on a first come, first served basis. The main gate opens 60 minutes prior to the start of the match. Spectator parking is available in Lot 43. Tailgating is not permitted.
Fans in attendance must comply with the following guidelines:
• Mask required for entry. No gaiters.
• Maintain social distancing while in the facility.
• No large gatherings inside the facility (10+).
• Please sit in the stands in the designated locations.
• Wash hands frequently.
Lady Flames News and Notes
• Liberty's No. 4 national ranking is the best ever of any Liberty Athletics sport at the NCAA Division I level.
• Liberty freshman goalkeeper Azul Iritxity Irigoyen earned NFHCA Defensive I Defensive Player of the Week honors on Wednesday. Iritixity Irigoyen was also named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. She made 12 saves in Liberty's double overtime triumph at No. 12 Duke, her second straight 12-save game.
• Senior forward Jill Bolton and freshman forward Julie Daels of the Lady Flames garnered inclusion on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll this week. Through six weeks of the 2021 season, Liberty has received 17 different weekly awards (13 BIG EAST, four NFHCA national honors).
• In addition to Liberty's No. 4 national ranking, the Lady Flames are currently listed at No. 2 in the country in the NCAA Field Hockey RPI listing.
• Liberty stands atop the BIG EAST at 7-1. No. 8 Connecticut is in second place at 4-1 in conference, followed by Old Dominion (4-2), Quinnipiac (2-3), Villanova (3-5), Temple (1-5) and Providence (0-4).
• Liberty freshmen Lexi Hosler, Reagan Underwood and Maddie Vicars were each tabbed 2020 NFHCA Division I Scholars of Distinction for achieving a 3.90 or better GPA through the first semester of the 2020-21 academic year.
• The Lady Flames ranked third nationally in five different statistical categories, including goals per game (3.60), scoring average (3.50), scoring margin (2.63), points per game (10.50) and assists per game (3.30).
• Liberty sophomore forward Daniella Rhodes is third in the country in points per game (3.10) and fourth in goals per game (1.30). Bolton ranks sixth nationally in goals per game (1.00) and seventh in points per game (2.90). Iritxity Irigoyen is 11th in the country in save percentage (.860).
