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Thursday, August 15
High Point, N.C.
6:00 PM ET
Liberty University
at
High Point
Lady Flames Open Season at High Point Thursday, Host ODU Sunday
8/14/2024 9:51:00 AM | Women's Soccer
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty Women's Soccer kicks off the 2024 season at High Point on Thursday and holds its home opener on Sunday at 1 p.m. hosting Old Dominion. The season opener will be played at Vert Stadium in High Point, N.C. and the home opener will be hosted at Osborne Stadium. Both contests will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Liberty looks to defend its 2023 Conference USA title following a 16-3-1 season, finishing with an appearance in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship first round.
The Lady Flames are 11-20-5 all-time in season openers and are 1-4-2 in Lang Wedemeyer's tenure as head coach. Liberty topped VCU 2-1 on the road to open 2023 on Aug. 18. Liberty is 11-20-5 all-time in home openers and 1-2 against ODU in such contests.
Liberty is 17-11-4 against High Point, a former Big South foe. The programs last met in 2017 playing to a 0-0 tie in Wedemeyer's only matchup against the program. The Lady Flames are 4-5-2 all-time facing ODU. The two squads last met in an exhibition match before the 2023 season and tied 0-0 in 2021. Wedemeyer is 0-0-2 all-time facing the Monarchs.
Liberty Storylines
Liberty looks to defend its 2023 Conference USA title following a 16-3-1 season, finishing with an appearance in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship first round.
The Lady Flames are 11-20-5 all-time in season openers and are 1-4-2 in Lang Wedemeyer's tenure as head coach. Liberty topped VCU 2-1 on the road to open 2023 on Aug. 18. Liberty is 11-20-5 all-time in home openers and 1-2 against ODU in such contests.
Liberty is 17-11-4 against High Point, a former Big South foe. The programs last met in 2017 playing to a 0-0 tie in Wedemeyer's only matchup against the program. The Lady Flames are 4-5-2 all-time facing ODU. The two squads last met in an exhibition match before the 2023 season and tied 0-0 in 2021. Wedemeyer is 0-0-2 all-time facing the Monarchs.
Liberty Storylines
- The Lady Flames dominated the CUSA Preseason Poll with Ivy Garner (Offensive) and Sallie Garner (Defensive) receiving preseason player of the year honors. Goalkeeper Ainsley Leja and forward Ava Goodman were selected to the Preseason All-Conference team. Liberty led the CUSA with four selections.
- Liberty was voted to repeat as champions in the CUSA Preseason Poll. The team received eight of 10 total first-place votes.
- Liberty looks to replace Rachel DeRuby, its highest-producing point scorer and 2023 CUSA Midfielder of the Year. DeRuby led the Lady Flames with nine goals and four assists (tied with 3 others in assists).
- The Lady Flames will be without three defenders, Bridie Herman, Lena James and Rebekah Earnest, who combined for 57 starts in 2023. Liberty will also be look to fill the void of midfielder Saydie Holland who led Liberty with five game-winning goals including the go-ahead score in the CUSA title game.
- Led by Leja's performance in goal, the Lady Flames led the CUSA with 12 goals allowed (fewest), a 0.60 goals-against average (GAA) and 10 shutouts. Leja played every minute in net from the 2023 season.
- Leja, a senior this season, topped her own single-season program record with a 0.60 GAA (0.62 in 2022) and matched her record of 10 shutouts from 2022.
- Defender Sallie Garner is the primary returner for the Liberty back-end. The redshirt sophomore was selected to the CUSA All-Freshman team in 2023 after making 16 starts for Liberty's dominant defense.
- Forward Halle Engle returns to the lineup following recovery from a season-long injury. The redshirt sophomore was named to the 2022 ASUN All-Freshman team and the ASUN All-Conference second team following a 12-point performance (four goals, four assists).
- Assistant Coach Tori Collar faces off against her former squad in her first contest as a Liberty coach. Collar was a goalkeeper for the Lady Flames from 2013-17 and coached at High Point from 2022-23.
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