Friday, February 9
Lynchburg, Va.
4:00 PM ET
Liberty University
0-1
6
vs
14
Virginia
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Virginia
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14
Liberty
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Liberty Falls 14-6 to No. 16 Virginia in Season Opener
2/9/2024 10:05:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
LYNCHBURG, Va. - Liberty's Cami Merkel scored twice as the Lady Flames dropped their season opener at home, 14-6, to No. 16 Virginia, Friday afternoon, at the Liberty Lacrosse Field.
Liberty begins the 2024 season with a 0-1 mark for the fifth consecutive year, with three of those losses coming against nationally ranked teams. The Cavaliers kick off the season with a 1-0 mark behind Katia Carnevale's four-goal performance.
In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the Lady Flames kept it close early, trailing 5-3 entering the second half. Virginia responded with six consecutive tallies to increase its lead to 11-3. The Cavaliers flexed their efficiency throughout, scoring their 14 goals on 22 shots.
Liberty's Jordan Sheive added two assists in the contest.
Scoring Summary
Liberty Goals: Cami Merkel 2; Mackenzie Lehman, 1; Katie Colavito, 1; Kelly Scott; Olivia Glaze, 1
Liberty Assists: Jordan Sheive 2
Virginia Goals: Katia Carnevale 4, Mackenzie Hoeg 3, Madison Alaimo 1, Morgan Schwab 1, Kate Miller 1, Jenna Dinardo 1, Addi Foster 1, Devon Whitaker 1, Kiki Shaw 1.
Virginia Assists: Madison Alaimo 3, Morgan Schwab 3, Jenna Dinardo 1, Addi Foster 1, Kate
Miller 1
Goalkeepers
W: Mel Josephson, 1-0, 12 saves
L: Mara Tellers, 0-1, two saves
Turning Point
Liberty tightened the contest heading into halftime with two consecutive free-position goals by way of Katie Colavito and Kelly Scott to narrow the Cavaliers' lead to 5-3. Virginia answered in a big way, netting all five goals in the third quarter. Five different Cavaliers scored, highlighted by Devon Whitaker's goal from the clearance into a vacated net.
First Half Summary
Second Half Summary
Key Stats & Notes
Up Next
Liberty hits the road to face No. 3 North Carolina on Tuesday. First draw is set for 5 p.m. from Dorrance Field in Chapel Hill, N.C. Liberty opened the 2023 season at No. 1 North Carolina, dropping the contest 18-6.
Liberty begins the 2024 season with a 0-1 mark for the fifth consecutive year, with three of those losses coming against nationally ranked teams. The Cavaliers kick off the season with a 1-0 mark behind Katia Carnevale's four-goal performance.
In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the Lady Flames kept it close early, trailing 5-3 entering the second half. Virginia responded with six consecutive tallies to increase its lead to 11-3. The Cavaliers flexed their efficiency throughout, scoring their 14 goals on 22 shots.
Liberty's Jordan Sheive added two assists in the contest.
Scoring Summary
Liberty Goals: Cami Merkel 2; Mackenzie Lehman, 1; Katie Colavito, 1; Kelly Scott; Olivia Glaze, 1
Liberty Assists: Jordan Sheive 2
Virginia Goals: Katia Carnevale 4, Mackenzie Hoeg 3, Madison Alaimo 1, Morgan Schwab 1, Kate Miller 1, Jenna Dinardo 1, Addi Foster 1, Devon Whitaker 1, Kiki Shaw 1.
Virginia Assists: Madison Alaimo 3, Morgan Schwab 3, Jenna Dinardo 1, Addi Foster 1, Kate
Miller 1
Goalkeepers
W: Mel Josephson, 1-0, 12 saves
L: Mara Tellers, 0-1, two saves
Turning Point
Liberty tightened the contest heading into halftime with two consecutive free-position goals by way of Katie Colavito and Kelly Scott to narrow the Cavaliers' lead to 5-3. Virginia answered in a big way, netting all five goals in the third quarter. Five different Cavaliers scored, highlighted by Devon Whitaker's goal from the clearance into a vacated net.
First Half Summary
- Virginia opened the scoring five minutes into the game as Katie Carnevale deposited her first of four scores.
- Following five additional minutes, Mackenzie Lehman evened the game with help from the first of two Jordan Sheive assists.
- The Cavaliers rattled off four consecutive goals to stretch their lead to 5-1.
- Liberty closed the half with two consecutive free position goals.
- The Lady Flames led the first half in shots, 12-9, but were deterred by five saves from the Cavaliers' Mel Josephson.
Second Half Summary
- Virginia dominated the third period of play, netting all five goals in the frame to start a run of six unanswered goals.
- Cami Merkel registered two goals in the fourth period to lead the Lady Flames for the game.
- Defender Jenna Burrow suffered an unfortunate red card at the 5:16 mark in the third quarter as she entered the crease to attempt a save as Liberty goalie, Rachel Hines, was caught out of position. The Cavaliers managed only a single goal in the period, but the five-minute penalty restricted Liberty's chances on the offensive end.
- Virginia finished the game with back-to-back goals in the final five minutes of the contest.
- The Cavaliers held just a 13-11 advantage in second-half shots.
Key Stats & Notes
- With her two goals on Friday, Merkel scored her 100th career point. The junior has a total of 78 goals and 22 assists across 38 career games.
- Liberty led in total shots 23-22. Virginia dominated the save department, edging Liberty 12-3 for the game.
- The Lady Flames led in multiple counting stats including draw controls (13-11), caused turnovers (14-11), ground balls (19-17), and free-position goals (3-2).
- Merkel led all players with eight shots while eight different Lady Flames recorded a shot.
- Goalkeeper Mara Tellers and midfielder Mackenzie Lehman recorded three caused turnovers in the game. Eight different Liberty players recorded a caused turnover.
- Lehman led all players with four ground balls. Tellers and defender Madeline Klunder scooped three ground balls a piece.
- Kendall Coss led all players with five draw controls. A sophomore, Coss recorded her first career draw controls on Friday.
- Liberty netted three of its seven free position attempts. Virginia scored two out of its three attempts.
Up Next
Liberty hits the road to face No. 3 North Carolina on Tuesday. First draw is set for 5 p.m. from Dorrance Field in Chapel Hill, N.C. Liberty opened the 2023 season at No. 1 North Carolina, dropping the contest 18-6.
Team Stats
VA
LU
Shots
22
23
Turnovers
19
17
Caused Turnovers
11
17
Draw Controls
11
13
Free-Position Shots
3
7
Ground Balls
17
20
Game Leaders
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
0
CT
0
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
1
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
2
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
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/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
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Coach Nangle & Mackenzie Lehman Talk About Winning The ASUN Tournament
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