Friday, November 3
Philadelphia, Pa.
1:00 PM ET
Liberty University
(17-1)
3
vs
2
Villanova
(9-9)
1st half1
2nd half2
3rd half3
4th half4
FinalF
Villanova
0
0
1
1
2
Liberty
0
2
1
0
3
No. 1 Seed Liberty Tops No. 4 Seed Villanova 3-2 to Reach BIG EAST Final
11/3/2023 4:25:00 PM | Field Hockey
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – No. 1 seed Liberty topped No. 4 seed Villanova 3-2 in the 2023 BIG EAST Championship semifinal round, Friday afternoon at Temple's Howarth Field.
With the win, the No. 6 Lady Flames advance to Sunday's BIG EAST Championship title game and will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between No. 2 seed Old Dominion (12-5) and No. 3 seed Temple (11-7). Liberty earns a spot in the BIG EAST final for the third straight year. The Lady Flames are the two-time defending BIG EAST champions (fall 2021, 2022).
Liberty improved to 17-1 on the year and has won its last 12 games overall. The Wildcats see their season end and fall to 9-9. The Lady Flames have defeated Villanova twice this fall. This was the first-ever meeting between the two squads in postseason play.
The Lady Flames' Milagros Arteta scored two goals in the contest, and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Jodie Conolly added one goal and one assist.
Scoring Summary
19' – LIBERTY – Jodie Conolly (Reagan Underwood and Bethany Dykema) | Penalty Corner
25' – LIBERTY – Milagros Arteta (Jodie Conolly) | Penalty Corner
33' – VILLANOVA – Sabine de Ruitjer | Penalty Stroke
44' – LIBERTY – Milagros Arteta (Martu Cian)
54' – VILLANOVA – Meghan Mitchell (Anna Drabbe) | Penalty Corner
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 17-1, two saves
L: Maddi Sears 1-1, three saves
Turning Point
Liberty scored two times in the second quarter to take control of the game and carry a 2-0 lead into the break. The Lady Flames' Jodie Conolly scored the first goal of the day, burying a penalty corner shot in the left side at the 18:27 mark. In the 25th minute, it was Milagros Arteta who found the back of the cage on a redirected penalty corner offering sent towards the right post by Conolly. Liberty led 2-0 after one half and held an 8-1 edge in shots and 4-1 advantage in penalty corners.
Villanova's Sabine de Ruitjer scored on a penalty stroke early in the third quarter (32:58 mark) to trim the Liberty lead in half (2-1). The Wildcats earned a penalty corner opportunity chance just over a minute later, but Azul Iritxity Irigoyen made a save on another de Ruitjer shot to keep it a one-goal lead. In the closing stages of the third period, Martu Cian drove the left baseline and found Arteta in front for the cage for second goal of the day and a 3-1 Liberty lead at 43:51.
The Wildcats scored a penalty corner goal from BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Meghan Mitchell midway through the fourth quarter (53:41 mark). Villanova pulled its goalkeeper, Maddi Sears, for the final 6:19. The Liberty defense held the Wildcats without a shot attempt during that time span to secure the victory and advance to Sunday's BIG EAST final.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will await the winner of the other semifinal match between No. 2 seed ODU (12-5) and No. 3 seed Temple (11-7).
The Lady Flames topped the ODU Monarchs 2-0 in the BIG EAST opener, Sept. 15 in Lynchburg. Liberty picked up a 3-0 road victory at Temple on Sept. 29.
Liberty is 9-7 all-time versus ODU. With the 16 meetings, ODU is Liberty's most common all-time opponent. The Lady Flames are 13-1 all-time versus the Temple Owls, including a 12-0 mark since joining the BIG EAST.
With the win, the No. 6 Lady Flames advance to Sunday's BIG EAST Championship title game and will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between No. 2 seed Old Dominion (12-5) and No. 3 seed Temple (11-7). Liberty earns a spot in the BIG EAST final for the third straight year. The Lady Flames are the two-time defending BIG EAST champions (fall 2021, 2022).
Liberty improved to 17-1 on the year and has won its last 12 games overall. The Wildcats see their season end and fall to 9-9. The Lady Flames have defeated Villanova twice this fall. This was the first-ever meeting between the two squads in postseason play.
The Lady Flames' Milagros Arteta scored two goals in the contest, and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Jodie Conolly added one goal and one assist.
Scoring Summary
19' – LIBERTY – Jodie Conolly (Reagan Underwood and Bethany Dykema) | Penalty Corner
25' – LIBERTY – Milagros Arteta (Jodie Conolly) | Penalty Corner
33' – VILLANOVA – Sabine de Ruitjer | Penalty Stroke
44' – LIBERTY – Milagros Arteta (Martu Cian)
54' – VILLANOVA – Meghan Mitchell (Anna Drabbe) | Penalty Corner
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Iritxity Irigoyen 17-1, two saves
L: Maddi Sears 1-1, three saves
Turning Point
Liberty scored two times in the second quarter to take control of the game and carry a 2-0 lead into the break. The Lady Flames' Jodie Conolly scored the first goal of the day, burying a penalty corner shot in the left side at the 18:27 mark. In the 25th minute, it was Milagros Arteta who found the back of the cage on a redirected penalty corner offering sent towards the right post by Conolly. Liberty led 2-0 after one half and held an 8-1 edge in shots and 4-1 advantage in penalty corners.
Villanova's Sabine de Ruitjer scored on a penalty stroke early in the third quarter (32:58 mark) to trim the Liberty lead in half (2-1). The Wildcats earned a penalty corner opportunity chance just over a minute later, but Azul Iritxity Irigoyen made a save on another de Ruitjer shot to keep it a one-goal lead. In the closing stages of the third period, Martu Cian drove the left baseline and found Arteta in front for the cage for second goal of the day and a 3-1 Liberty lead at 43:51.
The Wildcats scored a penalty corner goal from BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Meghan Mitchell midway through the fourth quarter (53:41 mark). Villanova pulled its goalkeeper, Maddi Sears, for the final 6:19. The Liberty defense held the Wildcats without a shot attempt during that time span to secure the victory and advance to Sunday's BIG EAST final.
Key Stats & Notes
- Jodie Conolly and Milagros Arteta share the team lead with 10 goals each. Both players have reached double figures in a season for the first time in their respective careers.
- Conolly leads the team in points (32) and shares the team lead in assists (12) with Bethany Dykema. Dykema, an All-BIG EAST first team selection is the program's all-time career assists leader with 46 for her career. Her 46 are the most of any active Division I player.
- Liberty held advantages in shots (16-7), shots on goal (6-4) and penalty corners (7-4).
- The Lady Flames improve to 11-0 all-time against the Wildcats.
- Underwood, a 2023 All-BIG EAST first team selection, notched her fifth assist of the season. Cian, who made the BIG EAST All-Conference second team, tallied her second assist of the year.
- Liberty will be aiming for its fifth conference championship title in program history on Sunday. The Lady Flames have won the last two BIG EAST crowns and claimed back-to-back NorPac titles in 2013 and 2014.
- The Lady Flames improve to 8-5 all-time at the BIG EAST Tournament, including a 5-0 mark over the past three seasons.
- This is the first time Villanova has ever scored more than one goal against Liberty.
Liberty will await the winner of the other semifinal match between No. 2 seed ODU (12-5) and No. 3 seed Temple (11-7).
The Lady Flames topped the ODU Monarchs 2-0 in the BIG EAST opener, Sept. 15 in Lynchburg. Liberty picked up a 3-0 road victory at Temple on Sept. 29.
Liberty is 9-7 all-time versus ODU. With the 16 meetings, ODU is Liberty's most common all-time opponent. The Lady Flames are 13-1 all-time versus the Temple Owls, including a 12-0 mark since joining the BIG EAST.
Team Stats
VU
LIBERTY
Goals
2
3
Shots
7
16
Shots on Goal
4
6
Saves
3
2
Corners
4
7
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
38
36
Scoring Plays
CONOLLY, Jodie (10)
Assisted By: UNDERWOOD, Reagan , DYKEMA, Bethany
Shot on corner into left side
18:27
ARTETA, Milagros (9)
Assisted By: CONOLLY, Jodie
Redirect on penalty corner
24:56
DE RUIJTER, Sabine (8)
VU DE RUIJTER, Sabine PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 8 for season.
32:58
ARTETA, Milagros (10)
Assisted By: CIAN, Martu
Scored from in front, feed from 12
43:51
MITCHELL, Meghan (16)
Assisted By: DRABBE, Anne
Redirect from right post
53:41
Game Leaders
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
5
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field Hockey
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