Friday, October 31
Lynchburg, Va.
3:00 PM ET
Liberty University
(15-2, 7-0BIG EAST)
5
vs
0
Villanova
(5-12, 3-4BIG EAST)
1
2
3
4
F
Villanova
0
0
0
0
0
Liberty
1
1
1
2
5
No. 7 Liberty Blanks Villanova 5-0 to Claim Outright BIG EAST Regular Season Title
10/31/2025 6:24:00 PM | Field Hockey
LYNCHBURG, Va. – No. 7 Liberty blanked Villanova 5-0 in the final game of the regular season to claim the outright 2025 BIG EAST regular season title.
The Lady Flames claim the fourth BIG EAST regular season crown in the last five years and their third outright title and perfect 7-0 conference season in that span. Liberty, which improved to 15-2 overall with the win, will be the No. 1 seed for next weekend's BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship, held at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. Liberty also closes out an unbeaten 8-0 regular season at home.
The Lady Flames will face No. 4 seed Villanova (5-12, 3-4 BIG EAST) in a rematch of today's contest, next Friday at 1 p.m. in the BIG EAST Championship semifinals. In the other semifinal (4 p.m.), No. 2 seed and 20th-ranked Connecticut (10-7, 6-1 BIG EAST) will meet No. 3 seed Old Dominion (8-9, 5-2 BIG EAST).
Redshirt junior forward Tori Griffiths notched her first career three-goal game in the victory. Dara Semmartin established a new program single-season record for assists (15) with a pair of assists this afternoon. Sophomore Avery Pollock tallied a goal and a pair of assists. Freshman goalkeeper Diane Saint Martin notched her eighth shutout of the season, matching a program single-season shutouts record.
Scoring Summary
10' – LIBERTY – Tori Griffiths (Avery Pollock)
26' – LIBERTY – Tori Griffiths (Avery Pollock)
44' – LIBERTY – Julieta Tornati (Dara Semmartin) | Penalty Corner
53' – LIBERTY – Tori Griffiths (Dara Semmartin) | Penalty Corner
60' – LIBERTY – Avery Pollock (unassisted)
Goalkeepers
W: Diane Saint Martin 15-2, zero saves
L: Sophie Volkel 5-9, 12 saves
Turning Point
Liberty's Tori Griffiths scored two first half goals, both assisted by Avery Pollock, to stake the Lady Flames to a 2-0 lead at the break. Griffiths' first goal came on a redirected tip came after Avery Pollock sent a ball from the right side across the circle at the 9:19 mark. In the 26th minute, Griffiths tacked on her second goal, collecting a Pollock pass on the edge of the circle and firing a reverse into the top right corner of the cage.
Liberty's third and fourth goals of the day came via penalty corner late in the third quarter and midway through the fourth period. Julieta Tornati scored her fifth goal of the season at the 43:30 mark, firing a penalty corner shot into the right side, assisted by Dara Semmartin. The Lady Flames' next goal came via Griffiths, a tip in on a Semmartin offering from the right side of the circle at the 52:28 mark. Semmartin's assist was her program-record-breaking 15th of the season.
Liberty's fifth and final goal came with 33 seconds left in the match, a tally from Avery Pollock from in front. Pollock scored on her rebounded shot.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty is the No. 1 seed for next weekend's 2025 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship. The Lady Flames will host the No. 4-seeded Villanova Wildcats (5-12), next Friday at 1 p.m. in the semifinal round. Liberty will serve as the host for the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
The Lady Flames claim the fourth BIG EAST regular season crown in the last five years and their third outright title and perfect 7-0 conference season in that span. Liberty, which improved to 15-2 overall with the win, will be the No. 1 seed for next weekend's BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship, held at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. Liberty also closes out an unbeaten 8-0 regular season at home.
The Lady Flames will face No. 4 seed Villanova (5-12, 3-4 BIG EAST) in a rematch of today's contest, next Friday at 1 p.m. in the BIG EAST Championship semifinals. In the other semifinal (4 p.m.), No. 2 seed and 20th-ranked Connecticut (10-7, 6-1 BIG EAST) will meet No. 3 seed Old Dominion (8-9, 5-2 BIG EAST).
Redshirt junior forward Tori Griffiths notched her first career three-goal game in the victory. Dara Semmartin established a new program single-season record for assists (15) with a pair of assists this afternoon. Sophomore Avery Pollock tallied a goal and a pair of assists. Freshman goalkeeper Diane Saint Martin notched her eighth shutout of the season, matching a program single-season shutouts record.
Scoring Summary
10' – LIBERTY – Tori Griffiths (Avery Pollock)
26' – LIBERTY – Tori Griffiths (Avery Pollock)
44' – LIBERTY – Julieta Tornati (Dara Semmartin) | Penalty Corner
53' – LIBERTY – Tori Griffiths (Dara Semmartin) | Penalty Corner
60' – LIBERTY – Avery Pollock (unassisted)
Goalkeepers
W: Diane Saint Martin 15-2, zero saves
L: Sophie Volkel 5-9, 12 saves
Turning Point
Liberty's Tori Griffiths scored two first half goals, both assisted by Avery Pollock, to stake the Lady Flames to a 2-0 lead at the break. Griffiths' first goal came on a redirected tip came after Avery Pollock sent a ball from the right side across the circle at the 9:19 mark. In the 26th minute, Griffiths tacked on her second goal, collecting a Pollock pass on the edge of the circle and firing a reverse into the top right corner of the cage.
Liberty's third and fourth goals of the day came via penalty corner late in the third quarter and midway through the fourth period. Julieta Tornati scored her fifth goal of the season at the 43:30 mark, firing a penalty corner shot into the right side, assisted by Dara Semmartin. The Lady Flames' next goal came via Griffiths, a tip in on a Semmartin offering from the right side of the circle at the 52:28 mark. Semmartin's assist was her program-record-breaking 15th of the season.
Liberty's fifth and final goal came with 33 seconds left in the match, a tally from Avery Pollock from in front. Pollock scored on her rebounded shot.
Key Stats & Notes
- Dara Semmartin's 15 assists this year a new program record. Semmartin eclipsed the previous program record of 14 assists, set in 2018 by Agueda Moroni. The sophomore has four multiple-assist games on the season and three two-assist efforts in the last four matches.
- Tori Griffiths' hat trick was the first of her career and her second career multiple-goal effort.
- All four of the Lady Flames' BIG EAST regular season titles have come in the last five seasons (fall 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025). Liberty's perfect 7-0 regular seasons have come in the fall 2021, 2023 and 2025 campaigns.
- Diane Saint Martin notched her eighth shutout of the season, matching a program record. She now shares the program record with Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (2022).
- Saint Martin has a 0.82 goals-against average in 17 games this year. The best single-season goals-against average for a Liberty netminder for a full season is 0.93, established by Iritxity Irigoyen in 2023.
- Avery Pollock notched a career-high four points (1 g, 2 a) today.
- Liberty's dominant effort saw the Lady Flames outshoot the Wildcats 26-2 and have a 15-0 advantage in penalty corners.
- The Lady Flames improve to a perfect 13-0 all-time versus the Wildcats, including a 12-0 mark since joining the BIG EAST.
- In 10 seasons in the BIG EAST Conference, Liberty has posted a 62-13 league regular season record.
- Liberty has won five games in a row to close the regular season.
Liberty is the No. 1 seed for next weekend's 2025 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship. The Lady Flames will host the No. 4-seeded Villanova Wildcats (5-12), next Friday at 1 p.m. in the semifinal round. Liberty will serve as the host for the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
Team Stats
VILLANOV
LIBERTY
Goals
0
5
Shots
2
26
Shots on Goal
0
17
Saves
12
0
Corners
0
15
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
Tori Griffiths (4)
Assisted By: Avery Pollock
Redirect on ball from 24
9:19
Tori Griffiths (5)
Assisted By: Avery Pollock
Reverse into top right corner
25:25
Julieta Tornati (5)
Assisted By: Dara Semmartin
Shot into right side on corner
43:30
Tori Griffiths (6)
Assisted By: Dara Semmartin
Tipped in on ball from 32
52:28
Avery Pollock (4)
Scored on her own rebound
59:27
Game Leaders
Shots
3
SOG
3
Goals
3
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
2
Shots
4
SOG
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
5
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Field HockeyF
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field HockeyD
/ Field HockeyD
/ Field HockeyGameday with Liberty Field Hockey
Thursday, October 30
Lou Combrinck: Strength Through the Setbacks
Wednesday, October 29
Liberty Field Hockey Defeats Providence
Saturday, October 18
Coach Parsley-Blocker & Julieta Tornati Talk About The Win Over Providence
Saturday, October 18