Liberty Takes to the Road for 2 OVC Matches this Weekend
10/10/2023 4:38:00 PM | Men's Soccer
- Looking to get back on track after back-to-back losses, Liberty (7-4, 2-2 OVC) will head out on the road for two Ohio Valley Conference road matches this weekend. The Flames will visit the Eastern Illinois Panthers on Thursday and the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles on Sunday.
- After opening Ohio Valley play 2-0, Liberty fell at Chicago State 2-0 this past Thursday, before losing a tightly-contested match to OVC leader and unbeaten SIUE 2-0 at Osborne Stadium on Sunday. The Flames' setback to SIUE was their first at home this season, dropping Liberty's home mark to 6-1 in 2023.
- Despite being held scoreless in its last two games. Liberty has outscored its opponents, 26-18, so far in 2023. The Flames lead the OVC and enter the week eighth nationally in total goals scored. In addition, Liberty is currently 10th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 2.36 goals per game.
- Luke Eberle leads the OVC in goals with a career-high seven in 2023 and is tied for the conference lead with 15 points. The midfielder is one of 10 Flames to score a goal this season.
- Forward Michael Huss and midfielder Gabe Findley join Eberle in the OVC top 10 in goals scored. Huss is second on the Flames and tied for third in the OVC with four goals. He also has four assists to enter the week with 12 points. Gabe Findley has also scored four goals to tie for third in the league and has two assists for 10 points.
- Forward Leo Conneh leads the OVC with six assists and has scored two goals for 10 points. The freshman, who is currently 19th in the nation in assists, was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week last week after scoring the first two goals of his career and recording two assists in the Flames' win over Chicago State on Sept. 28. It was the first time a Liberty player scored six or more points in a game since Tresor Mbuyu had seven points in a 5-0 win over VMI on Aug. 18, 2018.
- With 10 or more points each, Eberle, Huss, Findley and Conneh all appear in the Top 10 in the OVC in points. Besides Eberle leading the conference, Huss is tied for third in the conference and Findley and Conneh are tied for 7th.Â
- Blake Franzen and Owen Moore have split time in the Liberty goal this season. The two have combined for a 1.64 goals-against average and a .633 save percentage.
- Liberty will meet the Eastern Illinois Panthers and Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles for the first time in program history on the pitch this weekend. The Flames enter the week fourth in the OVC standings with a 2-2 mark (6 points), while the Panthers are 1-3 (3 points) in conference play. The Screaming Eagles are still looking for their first OVC win. Southern Indiana, 0-3-1 in the OVC, will host Chicago State on Thursday evening before facing Liberty on Sunday.
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