Flames Men’s Soccer to Face Western Illinois, SUIE

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty Flames will finish up a four-game conference road trip with a pair of games in Illinois this weekend.

The Flames (5-3-1, 3-0 OVC) started the span of four Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) road matches in 12 days with two shutouts at Incarnate Word and Houston Christian last weekend.

Head Coach Kelly Findley's team will face the Western Illinois Leathernecks (5-6-1, 0-3 OVC) on Thursday at John A. MacKenzie Alumni Soccer Field in Macomb, Ill. Match time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. CST. The contest will be a rematch between the two teams from earlier this season in Lynchburg. The Flames downed the Leathernecks 7-1 on Sept. 28 in the first conference match of the season for both teams.

Liberty will then head to Edwardsville, Ill., for a match against the defending OVC champion and currently conference unbeaten SUIE Cougars (5-3-2, 3-0 OVC) on Sunday. Kickoff at Ralph Korte Stadium, the 2024 OVC Men's Soccer Championship site, is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST/1 p.m. CST. The Cougars play at Lindenwood in conference action on Thursday evening.

Last season, SIUE defeated Liberty 2-0 at Osborne Stadium on Oct. 8 in the only meeting between the two teams in their programs' histories.

Liberty News & Notes

Liberty enters the week off back-to-back clean sheets and has posted three shutouts this season. The Flames blanked Incarnate Word 2-0 and Houston Christian 1-0 for road victories this past weekend. It is the first time the Flames have shut out back-to-back opponents since Sept. 2002. Liberty has not allowed a goal over the last 203:53.
The Flames have outscored their opponents, 23-10, in 2024. Liberty leads the OVC and is sixth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 2.56 goals per game. The Flames are 20^th in the country in total goals with 23.
13 different Flames have scored a goal this season. Midfielder Gabe Findley netted his first goal of the season, the game's only goal, in Liberty's 1-0 win over HCU on Sunday. Michael Huss (8), Aidan Morrison (2) and Luke Eberle (2) have scored multiple goals this season.
Liberty has allowed one goal in three games in OVC play and dropped its goals-against average to 1.13 on the season.
Goalkeeper Owen Moore was named the OVC Goalkeeper of the Week, and provided the Flames with solid play, leading Liberty's defensive efforts during their back-to-back shutouts in Texas this past weekend.
Moore has started every game this season in goal for Liberty and played every minute in goal. The junior has posted a 1.13 goals-against average and a .767 save percentage. He has three shutouts. Over the last five games, the junior has posted a 0.83 GAA with a .852 save percentage.
Huss leads the OVC with eight goals and 16 points. The senior forward ranks 10th nationally in goals per game (0.89/game) and 18th in points per game (1.78/game). In addition, he is 11th in total goals. His goal and point totals are career highs for the forward.
Huss' hat trick on Sept. 28 against Western Illinois was the first by a Liberty player since Tresor Mbuyu scored three goals in a 5-0 victory at VMI on Aug. 28, 2018. Previously this season, Huss scored two goals in a 5-0 win over Mount Olive to open 2024. He has scored two or more goals in a game four times during his career.
Huss and Findley have been two of the most accurate shooters in the country in 2024. Huss leads the OVC and is 10^th nationally with a 65.2% accuracy rate. Findley is second in the conference and 18^th nationally with a 61.1% accuracy rate.
Findley is second in the OVC and 12^th nationally with six assists. The senior midfielder is seventh in the country in assists per game (0.67 assists per game).
Findley enters the week with eight points. He scored his first goal of the season on Saturday.
Since the start of OVC play, the Flames have started the backline of Skyler Stricker, Brandon Calderon, Lucas Kelly and Carlos Trott. The group of defenders has teamed with goalkeeper Owen Moore to allow only one goal over the three games.

Schedule

Flames Men’s Soccer to Face Western Illinois, SUIE

Players Mentioned

Brandon Calderon

Luke Eberle

Gabe Findley

Michael Huss

Lucas Kelly

Owen Moore

Aidan Morrison

Skyler Stricker

Carlos Trott

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