Sunday, September 1
Kent, Ohio
1:00 PM ET
Liberty University
(2-0)
4
at
1
Kent State
(0-2)
1
2
3
4
F
Liberty
1
2
1
0
4
Kent State
0
1
0
0
1
Cian scored three goals on Sunday.
Cian Scores Three Goals in 4-1 Liberty Road Win at Kent State
9/1/2024 4:02:00 PM | Field Hockey
KENT, OHIO – Liberty senior Martu Cian scored three goals in a 4-1 Liberty road win at Kent State, Sunday afternoon at Murphy-Mellis Field.
The No. 11-ranked Lady Flames improve to 2-0 following their second win in as many days. Meanwhile, the Golden Flashes fall to 0-2.
Cian's hat trick was the second of her career. Her other three-plus goal game came when she matched a program record with four goals against Queens on Sept. 11, 2022.
Tuti Dell Anna scored her second goal of the season, while freshman Dara Semmartin notched her second assist of 2024.
This is the sixth straight season Liberty has opened the year 2-0 and the third straight year in which the Lady Flames defeated both Kent State and Indiana on opening weekend.
Scoring Summary
13' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (Ella Murphy) | Penalty Corner
18' – KENT STATE – Agustina Florio (Eva Usoz and Emma Rolston) | Penalty Corner
25' – LIBERTY – Tuti Dell Anna (Dara Semmartin) | Penalty Corner
30' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (unassisted)
44' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (unassisted)
Goalkeepers
W: Michaela Skinner 2-0, one save
L: Alli Wood 0-2, four saves
Turning Point
After Liberty took an early 1-0 lead on a first quarter goal from Martu Cian at the 12:43 mark, Kent State matched the Lady Flames' goal with a score from Agustina Florio in the 18th minute.
Liberty finished the first half with a pair of goals to distance itself from the hosts. Tuti Dell Anna scored on a penalty corner in the 25th minute, assisted by Dara Semmartin. At the end of the second period, Cian scored her second goal of the day on a rebound following a Josefina Tomasi shot that was blocked by a Kent State defender to put the visitors ahead 3-1 at intermission.
Cian tacked on a goal late in the third quarter, rebounding her own shot and sending a reverse into the left side of the cage for a 4-1 Lady Flames lead.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will face its first ranked opponent of the year, No. 3 Virginia (1-0), in its home opener next Sunday. Game time is 1 p.m. from the Liberty Field Hockey Field. The contest can be seen on ESPN+.
Last year, the Lady Flames earned a 3-1 road win over the Cavaliers at Turf Field, their first road win at Virginia. Liberty is 2-6 all-time against UVA.
The No. 11-ranked Lady Flames improve to 2-0 following their second win in as many days. Meanwhile, the Golden Flashes fall to 0-2.
Cian's hat trick was the second of her career. Her other three-plus goal game came when she matched a program record with four goals against Queens on Sept. 11, 2022.
Tuti Dell Anna scored her second goal of the season, while freshman Dara Semmartin notched her second assist of 2024.
This is the sixth straight season Liberty has opened the year 2-0 and the third straight year in which the Lady Flames defeated both Kent State and Indiana on opening weekend.
Scoring Summary
13' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (Ella Murphy) | Penalty Corner
18' – KENT STATE – Agustina Florio (Eva Usoz and Emma Rolston) | Penalty Corner
25' – LIBERTY – Tuti Dell Anna (Dara Semmartin) | Penalty Corner
30' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (unassisted)
44' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (unassisted)
44' | ????????!
— Liberty Field Hockey (@LibertyFH) September 1, 2024
Some more Martu ??, and she now has her 2nd career ?????? trick!
No. 11 Liberty leads 4-1 at Kent State. #RelentlessPursuit #Pursuit #RiseWithUs pic.twitter.com/Fjd9KuS3sK
Goalkeepers
W: Michaela Skinner 2-0, one save
L: Alli Wood 0-2, four saves
Turning Point
After Liberty took an early 1-0 lead on a first quarter goal from Martu Cian at the 12:43 mark, Kent State matched the Lady Flames' goal with a score from Agustina Florio in the 18th minute.
Liberty finished the first half with a pair of goals to distance itself from the hosts. Tuti Dell Anna scored on a penalty corner in the 25th minute, assisted by Dara Semmartin. At the end of the second period, Cian scored her second goal of the day on a rebound following a Josefina Tomasi shot that was blocked by a Kent State defender to put the visitors ahead 3-1 at intermission.
Cian tacked on a goal late in the third quarter, rebounding her own shot and sending a reverse into the left side of the cage for a 4-1 Lady Flames lead.
Key Stats & Notes
- Liberty held a decisive 21-3 edge in total shots and 12-2 advantage in shots on goal.
- Cian is the first Lady Flame to score three goals in a game since Jodie Conolly scored three times in a 3-0 home win over UConn on Oct. 20, 2023.
- Cian's goals were the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of her career. She currently ranks No. 13 in school history with 24 career goals.
- Cian notched a career-high nine shots in the contest, eight of which were on goal.
- Semmartin leads the Lady Flames with two assists this year.
- Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Michaela Skinner improved to 2-0. She has a 0.89 goals-against-average and five saves on the season.
- Liberty bolsters its record to 6-0 all-time against Kent State.
- This is the Lady Flames' road win of the season. Liberty was 7-1 away from home a season ago.
- Kent State Field Hockey Head Coach Heather Hefner served as an assistant coach for Liberty for six seasons (2018-23). Additionally, Golden Flashes assistant coach Lizzie Hamlett played for Liberty for five seasons (2018-22) and served on staff for one year (2023). Liberty senior forward Ellie Livingston faced her sister, Kent State sophomore forward Sophia Livingston, on Sunday. Liberty fifth-year senior Danielle Hamm played for Kent State for three seasons (2020-22) prior to joining the Lady Flames before the 2023 season.
Liberty will face its first ranked opponent of the year, No. 3 Virginia (1-0), in its home opener next Sunday. Game time is 1 p.m. from the Liberty Field Hockey Field. The contest can be seen on ESPN+.
Last year, the Lady Flames earned a 3-1 road win over the Cavaliers at Turf Field, their first road win at Virginia. Liberty is 2-6 all-time against UVA.
Team Stats
LIBERTY
KENTST
Goals
4
1
Shots
21
3
Shots on Goal
12
2
Saves
1
8
Corners
8
1
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
CIAN, Martu (1)
Assisted By: MURPHY, Ella
Scored on corner from in front
12:43
FLORIO, Agustina (1)
Assisted By: USOZ, Eva , ROLSTON, Emma
Scored on corner drag into center of cag
17:18
DELL ANNA, Tuti (2)
Assisted By: SEMMARTIN, Dara
Redirect from right side on corner
24:02
CIAN, Martu (2)
Scored on rebound
30:00
CIAN, Martu (3)
Reverse from left of cage into right sid
43:03
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
9
SOG
8
Goals
3
Assists
0
Shots
5
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field HockeyF
/ Field Hockey
M
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field HockeyD
/ Field HockeyD
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field Hockey
M
/ Field Hockey
Liberty Field Hockey Defeats Richmond
Monday, September 08
Liberty Defeats JMU 4-1
Thursday, September 04
Josefina Tomasi & Coach Parsley-Blocker Talk About The Win Over JMU
Wednesday, September 03
Coach Parsley-Blocker & Lou Combrinck Talk About Preparing For The Start Of The Season
Wednesday, August 27