Friday, October 6
Lynchburg, Va.
3:00 PM ET
Liberty University
(11-1, 4-0BIG EAST)
6
vs
0
Villanova
(7-5, 3-1BIG EAST)
1
2
3
4
F
Villanova
0
0
0
0
0
Liberty
2
2
1
1
6
No. 10 Liberty Blanks Villanova 6-0, Claims Sole Possession of 1st Place in BIG EAST
10/6/2023 6:25:00 PM | Field Hockey
LYNCHBURG, Va. – No. 10 Liberty blanked Villanova 6-0 Friday at home, claiming sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST Conference in the process.
The Lady Flames improve to 11-1 overall and 4-0 in the BIG EAST. Liberty is the only remaining unbeaten team in league play following its sixth straight win overall. The Lady Flames stay perfect in games at the Liberty Field Hockey Field as well, bolstering their home mark to 7-0 in 2023. Villanova slips to 7-5 on the year and 3-1 BIG EAST action.
Six different Liberty players scored in the game. Pima Iturraspe led the way with a game-high three points on one goal and one assist. Iturraspe, Reagan Underwood, Milagros Arteta, Kyleigh Faust, Tuti Dell Anna and Martu Cian all found the back of the cage on Friday.
Senior goalkeeper Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (five saves) and redshirt freshman netminder Michaela Skinner combined on Liberty's sixth shutout of the year.
Scoring Summary
9' – LIBERTY – Pima Iturraspe (Lexi Hosler) | Penalty Corner
13' – LIBERTY – Reagan Underwood (unassisted)
19' – LIBERTY – Milagros Arteta (Bethany Dykema)
19' – LIBERTY – Kyleigh Faust | Penalty Stroke
35' – LIBERTY – Tuti Dell Anna (Pima Iturraspe)
47' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (unassisted)
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 11-1, five saves
L: Emma Leppert 7-5, three saves
Turning Point
Liberty jumped out an early 4-0 lead in the game's first 19 minutes. The Lady Flames' first goal came courtesy of Pima Iturraspe on a penalty corner at the 8:35 mark, assisted by Lexi Hosler. In the 13th minute, it was Reagan Underwood who found the scoring column, rebounding her own blocked shot and finding the back of the cage for a 2-0 home lead.
Liberty struck twice in a 39-second span in the second frame to claim a commanding 4-0 lead. Milagros Arteta scored on a reverse for her team-leading sixth goal of the season, followed by a penalty stroke goal from redshirt freshman Kyleigh Faust at the 18:58 mark. Liberty led 4-0 at the half and tacked on two more goals in the final two periods, coming from Tuti Dell Anna and Martu Cian.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will face No. 1 North Carolina (9-1) in a road non-conference match, Sunday. Game time is 2 p.m. at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Liberty is 1-8 all-time versus North Carolina. UNC topped Liberty 6-3 last year in Lynchburg. The last time the Lady Flames played in Chapel Hill, they earned a 4-0 shutout triumph over the Tar Heels on Oct. 10, 2021. That victory snapped UNC's 62-match home winning streak and was also the Tar Heels' first-ever loss at Karen Shelton Stadium (previously 41-0).
The Lady Flames improve to 11-1 overall and 4-0 in the BIG EAST. Liberty is the only remaining unbeaten team in league play following its sixth straight win overall. The Lady Flames stay perfect in games at the Liberty Field Hockey Field as well, bolstering their home mark to 7-0 in 2023. Villanova slips to 7-5 on the year and 3-1 BIG EAST action.
Six different Liberty players scored in the game. Pima Iturraspe led the way with a game-high three points on one goal and one assist. Iturraspe, Reagan Underwood, Milagros Arteta, Kyleigh Faust, Tuti Dell Anna and Martu Cian all found the back of the cage on Friday.
Senior goalkeeper Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (five saves) and redshirt freshman netminder Michaela Skinner combined on Liberty's sixth shutout of the year.
Scoring Summary
9' – LIBERTY – Pima Iturraspe (Lexi Hosler) | Penalty Corner
13' – LIBERTY – Reagan Underwood (unassisted)
19' – LIBERTY – Milagros Arteta (Bethany Dykema)
19' – LIBERTY – Kyleigh Faust | Penalty Stroke
35' – LIBERTY – Tuti Dell Anna (Pima Iturraspe)
47' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (unassisted)
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 11-1, five saves
L: Emma Leppert 7-5, three saves
Turning Point
Liberty jumped out an early 4-0 lead in the game's first 19 minutes. The Lady Flames' first goal came courtesy of Pima Iturraspe on a penalty corner at the 8:35 mark, assisted by Lexi Hosler. In the 13th minute, it was Reagan Underwood who found the scoring column, rebounding her own blocked shot and finding the back of the cage for a 2-0 home lead.
Liberty struck twice in a 39-second span in the second frame to claim a commanding 4-0 lead. Milagros Arteta scored on a reverse for her team-leading sixth goal of the season, followed by a penalty stroke goal from redshirt freshman Kyleigh Faust at the 18:58 mark. Liberty led 4-0 at the half and tacked on two more goals in the final two periods, coming from Tuti Dell Anna and Martu Cian.
Key Stats & Notes
- Bethany Dykema matched the program record for career assists today. She has 38 career assists, tied for the school record with former Lady Flame Serena Barr (2013-16).
- Underwood's goal was her fourth of the season, a new single-season career high for the senior.
- Cian's goal was the 20th of her career.
- Liberty's six goals today were its second most of the season, behind only a seven-goal effort in a 7-1 win road at Longwood,
- The Lady Flames outshot the Wildcats 17-11. Villanova held a 10-6 edge in penalty corners, but Liberty kept the visitors off the scoreboard on those 10 chances. The Lady Flames have surrendered only two goals on 59 penalty corner chances from their counterparts this year.
- Liberty handed Villanova only its second shutout loss of the season. The Wildcats entered the match ninth in the nation and first in the BIG EAST in scoring average (3.02).
- Liberty continues its best start to a season in school history with an 11-1 record through 12 games.
- Both of Faust's goals this year have come on penalty stroke attempts. Dell Anna has scored a goal in five of her last six games.
- The Lady Flames' defense held Villanova senior forward Meghan Mitchell without a shot on the day. Mitchell entered the day first in the BIG EAST and fourth in the nation with 13 total goals.
- Liberty is 10-0 all-time against Villanova and 9-0 in BIG EAST matches. The Lady Flames have outscored the Wildcats a combined 37-3 in seven all-time games at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
- Liberty has outscored its BIG EAST foes a combined 16-2 in four games so far on the season. The Lady Flames have outscored their opponents 25-3 over their current six-match winning streak.
Liberty will face No. 1 North Carolina (9-1) in a road non-conference match, Sunday. Game time is 2 p.m. at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Liberty is 1-8 all-time versus North Carolina. UNC topped Liberty 6-3 last year in Lynchburg. The last time the Lady Flames played in Chapel Hill, they earned a 4-0 shutout triumph over the Tar Heels on Oct. 10, 2021. That victory snapped UNC's 62-match home winning streak and was also the Tar Heels' first-ever loss at Karen Shelton Stadium (previously 41-0).
Team Stats
VU
LIBERTY
Goals
0
6
Shots
11
17
Shots on Goal
5
10
Saves
4
5
Corners
10
6
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
ITURRASPE, Pima (2)
Assisted By: CONOLLY, Jodie
Tip on corner
8:35
UNDERWOOD, Reagan (4)
Scored on rebound of her own shot
12:38
ARTETA, Milagros (6)
Assisted By: DYKEMA, Bethany
Scored on reverse from in front
18:19
FAUST, Kyleigh (2)
LIBERTY FAUST, Kyleigh PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 2 for season.
18:58
DELL ANNA, Tuti (5)
Assisted By: ITURRASPE, Pima
Fast break, feed from 7
34:16
CIAN, Martu (5)
Scored from right side, hit off defender
46:51
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
5
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field HockeyF
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
D/M
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field Hockey
D/F
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field Hockey
M
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