Thursday, September 21
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
8:00 PM ET/7:00 PM CT
Liberty University
10-0-0, 1-0-0
1
at
0
Middle Tennessee
3-6-2, 0-2-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Middle Tenn. | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Liberty Edges MTSU 1-0 for First Conference USA Victory
9/21/2023 11:34:00 PM | Women's Soccer
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Liberty is propelled by an eventful minute of play in the second half to secure a 1-0 victory at Middle Tennessee on Thursday. The win marks the Lady Flames' first-ever Conference USA triumph and improves the squad to a 10-0 mark in 2023.
With the result, Liberty extends its NCAA Division I leading unbeaten streak to 23 games (20-0-3). Liberty is just one of two teams in the country with a win in every event of 2023, joining Florida State (7-0).
Liberty records its fourth straight shutout and has not allowed a goal during its last 345 minutes on the pitch. The Lady Flames have secured seven total shutouts this season.
The Lady Flames capitalized after keeper Ainsley Leja made a huge save on a point-blank chance by MTSU's Faith Adje. Within the next minute of play, Ava Goodman took a misplayed ball from MTSU's defense and dribbled around a charging keeper to deposit the go-ahead score into the vacant net.
Despite the conference-opening win, the Lady Flames struggled to capitalize on multiple chances in the contest. Liberty outshot the Blue Raiders 22-8 but eight offsides on Liberty negated numerous chances. Ava Goodman appeared to net a goal during the 19th minute, but the strike was deemed to be played offsides.
Leja came up big throughout the match, recording three saves while denying multiple Blue Raiders opportunities.
Thursday's matchup was the first-ever meeting between Liberty and MTSU.
Scoring Summary
56' – Liberty – Ava Goodman
Lady Flames News & Notes
Up Next
Liberty comes back to Lynchburg for its home Conference USA opener hosting Sam Houston on Sunday. Kick off is set for 1 p.m. from Osborne Stadium.
With the result, Liberty extends its NCAA Division I leading unbeaten streak to 23 games (20-0-3). Liberty is just one of two teams in the country with a win in every event of 2023, joining Florida State (7-0).
Liberty records its fourth straight shutout and has not allowed a goal during its last 345 minutes on the pitch. The Lady Flames have secured seven total shutouts this season.
The Lady Flames capitalized after keeper Ainsley Leja made a huge save on a point-blank chance by MTSU's Faith Adje. Within the next minute of play, Ava Goodman took a misplayed ball from MTSU's defense and dribbled around a charging keeper to deposit the go-ahead score into the vacant net.
Despite the conference-opening win, the Lady Flames struggled to capitalize on multiple chances in the contest. Liberty outshot the Blue Raiders 22-8 but eight offsides on Liberty negated numerous chances. Ava Goodman appeared to net a goal during the 19th minute, but the strike was deemed to be played offsides.
Leja came up big throughout the match, recording three saves while denying multiple Blue Raiders opportunities.
Thursday's matchup was the first-ever meeting between Liberty and MTSU.
Scoring Summary
56' – Liberty – Ava Goodman
Lady Flames News & Notes
- Liberty outshot MTSU 22-8, outnumbering them 12-3 in shots on goal.
- Ava Goodman's score Thursday night is her third of the season.
- Ava Goodman led the team with five shots, Avenley Monteith and Rachel DeRuby each registered four shots.
- Leja and the Liberty defense picked up their seventh shutout of the season.
- Liberty leads Conference USA in goals allowed this season, surrounding just three in 10 games.
- Leja, Liberty's keeper, has played every minute of the 2023 season.
- Leja and the Liberty defense have recorded four consecutive shutout victories. The last goals allowed by the Lady Flames was during the 16th minute in a 3-1 win over West Virginia on Sept. 3.
- Leja has not allowed a goal in the last 345 minutes of play. Liberty held a similar scoreless streak of 417 minutes from Aug. 18-Aug. 31.
- Leja and Liberty improved their goals-against average to 0.30 and their save percentage to .875. Entering the day, Liberty ranked No. 7 and No. 26, respectively, in GAA and save percentage.
- Four Lady Flames - Leja and defenders Lena James, Bridie Herman and Rebekah Earnest - played a full match Thursday night.
- Liberty extended its NCAA Division I leading unbeaten streak to 23 games (20-0-3). The Lady Flames' last loss was a 3-2 defeat at Pitt on Sept. 11, 2022.
Up Next
Liberty comes back to Lynchburg for its home Conference USA opener hosting Sam Houston on Sunday. Kick off is set for 1 p.m. from Osborne Stadium.
Team Stats
LU
MTSU
Goals
1
0
Shots
22
8
Shots on Goal
12
3
Saves
3
11
Corners
6
4
Fouls
8
7
Scoring Plays
Ava Goodman (3)
GOAL by LU Goodman, Ava.
55:17
Game Leaders
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
3
Goals
0
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
MF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerMF
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