Men’s Soccer to Open Season Thursday

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty Flames men's soccer team will open its 2024 regular season by hosting the Mount Olive Trojans at Osborne Stadium on Thursday. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The contest will follow the Liberty women's soccer team's game against VCU. On Monday, the Flames will travel up Route 460 for a contest against the Longwood Lancers. Match time at Longwood Athletics Complex is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Flames posted a 9-6-3 overall record and finished third in the league standings with a 4-4-2 mark in their first season in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2023. Liberty's nine wins were the most by a Flames team since 2017.

Liberty will begin its sixth season under head coach Kelly Findley on Thursday evening. The contest will be the first-ever between Mount Olive and Liberty on the pitch. Monday, Longwood and Liberty, who used to be members of the Big South Conference, will meet for the 30^th time. The Flames have posted a 2-0-1 record against the Lancers in their last three meetings.

Liberty News & Notes

Liberty returns an experienced squad in 2024. The Flames return nine starters and 17 players, including OVC All-Conference members Luke Eberle, Gabe Findley, Bryce Swinehart and Michael Huss.
Last season, Eberle was Liberty's top scorer and finished third in the OVC in points (18) and fourth in goals (7). Huss finished second on the team with five goals and 14 points, while Findley was third with five goals and 13 points.
Defender Bryce Swinehart had a breakout season in 2023. The defender scored five goals and anchored the Liberty defense, earning OVC first team honors.
Liberty went 7-2 at home in 2023. The Flames got off to a fast start last season, posting a 5-2 record to begin the year. It was Liberty's best start to a season since starting 6-0-1 during the Spring 2021 season.
The Flames scored 35 goals last season, the most by a Liberty team since 2010. Liberty returns 12 of its 13 players who scored a goal in 2023.
Liberty was picked to finish second in the OVC standings behind SIUE in the conference's preseason poll. For the second straight season, Eberle was named an OVC Player to Watch.
Forward Leo Conneh, who was selected to the 2023 OVC Newcomer team, tied for the conference lead and led Liberty with seven assists. He also had two goals during his freshman season for 11 points.
Junior goalkeeper Owen Moore returns for 2024. During his sophomore season, he started the final seven games of the season and started 12 contests in 2023. He finished the year with a 6-3-3 mark with a 1.06 goals-against average and a .643 save percentage.
Senior goalkeeper Blake Franzen also returns for the Flames after working through injury last season. Franzen started six games last season, posting a 3-3 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .613 save percentage.

Schedule

Men’s Soccer to Open Season Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Leo Conneh

Luke Eberle

Gabe Findley

Blake Franzen

Michael Huss

Owen Moore

Bryce Swinehart