Saturday, May 3
Lynchburg, Va.
11:00 AM ET
Liberty University
12-8
14
vs
8
No. 4 seed Coastal Carolina
8-10
1
2
3
4
F
Coastal Carolina
0
3
3
2
8
LIBERTY
5
3
2
4
14
Liberty Advances to First-Ever NCAA Tournament with 14-8 Victory over Coastal Carolina in ASUN Final
5/3/2025 5:23:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Liberty Lady Flames lacrosse team will be dancing for the first time in program history, receiving the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 14-8 triumph over Coastal Carolina in the Atlantic Sun Women's Lacrosse Championship title game on Saturday afternoon.
ASUN Midfielder of the Year Katie Colavito (eight goals) was named the 2025 ASUN Championship MVP, along with four other players named to the 2025 ASUN All-Tournament team. Attackers Mackenzie Lehman and Taiva Reinertson were both chosen along with defender Jenna Burrow and goalkeeper Rachel Hines.
Lynchburg, Va., and the Liberty Lacrosse Field served as the host site for the championship tournament. The Lady Flames celebrated with friends, family and former players following the game.
The Lady Flames came out scorching to start the game with seven straight goals, holding Coastal scoreless for the first 19 minutes of the contest. The Chanticleers responded with three straight to narrow the deficit to 7-3 before freshman Olivia Young added a tally with four seconds remaining in the half.
Coastal netted a woman-down goal to open the second half and outscored Liberty 3-2 in the third quarter, including two from Gabrielle Beaudet (All-Tournament team).
Liberty answered back with a hot fourth quarter to put the game away. Reinertson, who surpassed the single-season program record with 53 goals, began the run with her 54th (13:10) of the year. Lehman added back-to-back scores (11:33, 11:09) before Kendall Coss added the final Liberty goal at the 10:41 mark.
Liberty (12-7) awaits the results 2025 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Selection Show which airs Sunday, May 4 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
Liberty Goals: Taiva Reinertson 4; Mackenzie Lehman 3; Katie Colavito 2; Ava Rajala 2; Olivia Young 1; Kendall Coss 1; Kate Troutman 1
Liberty Assists: Cami Merkel 2; Taiva Reinertson 2; Kendall Nye 1; Olivia Young 1
Coastal Carolina Goals: Gabrielle Beaudet 3; Sydney McClure 2; Megan Hummel, 1; Brigid Cardillo 1; Devin Rybacki 1
Coastal Carolina Assists: Maddie Bates 1; Ella Parker 1
Liberty Goalkeepers: W – Rachel Hines (11-7, 12 saves, eight goals, 60:00)
Coastal Carolina Goalkeepers: L – Charlotte Sadler (17 saves, 14 goals, 60:00)
Turning Point
Following a scoreless five minutes to open the game, Liberty erupted with 5-0 scoring advantage in the first quarter. Ava Rajala (9:58) netted a highlight-reel, behind-the-back goal, crossing the goalie's face as she zipped it by topside. Lehman added a goal (7:25) before Rajala scored her second of the contest (4:52). Following a Reinertson score (2:51), with five seconds left in the quarter, Kate Troutman picked up a saved shot and immediately threw it on net through a crowd and found the back of the net to extend the lead to 5-0.
Liberty carried the momentum into the second quarter, adding a Colavito (14:26) and Reinertson goal (12:14). Coastal netted its first score of the contest, one of three straight, from Beaudet. For the rest of the contest, the Chanticleers were unable to get within three goals of Liberty as the Lady Flames held on for the title.
First Half Summary
Second Half Summary
Lady Flames News & Notes
TIME TO CELEBRATE ??@NCAALAX | @ASUNSports pic.twitter.com/FwWmjcxm7R
— Liberty Lacrosse (@LibertyWLAX) May 3, 2025
ASUN Midfielder of the Year Katie Colavito (eight goals) was named the 2025 ASUN Championship MVP, along with four other players named to the 2025 ASUN All-Tournament team. Attackers Mackenzie Lehman and Taiva Reinertson were both chosen along with defender Jenna Burrow and goalkeeper Rachel Hines.
Lynchburg, Va., and the Liberty Lacrosse Field served as the host site for the championship tournament. The Lady Flames celebrated with friends, family and former players following the game.
The Lady Flames came out scorching to start the game with seven straight goals, holding Coastal scoreless for the first 19 minutes of the contest. The Chanticleers responded with three straight to narrow the deficit to 7-3 before freshman Olivia Young added a tally with four seconds remaining in the half.
Coastal netted a woman-down goal to open the second half and outscored Liberty 3-2 in the third quarter, including two from Gabrielle Beaudet (All-Tournament team).
Liberty answered back with a hot fourth quarter to put the game away. Reinertson, who surpassed the single-season program record with 53 goals, began the run with her 54th (13:10) of the year. Lehman added back-to-back scores (11:33, 11:09) before Kendall Coss added the final Liberty goal at the 10:41 mark.
Liberty (12-7) awaits the results 2025 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Selection Show which airs Sunday, May 4 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
RAJALA STARTS US OFF ?? @NCAALAX | @ASUNSports pic.twitter.com/ssyIc9TfSZ
— Liberty Lacrosse (@LibertyWLAX) May 3, 2025
Liberty Goals: Taiva Reinertson 4; Mackenzie Lehman 3; Katie Colavito 2; Ava Rajala 2; Olivia Young 1; Kendall Coss 1; Kate Troutman 1
Liberty Assists: Cami Merkel 2; Taiva Reinertson 2; Kendall Nye 1; Olivia Young 1
Coastal Carolina Goals: Gabrielle Beaudet 3; Sydney McClure 2; Megan Hummel, 1; Brigid Cardillo 1; Devin Rybacki 1
Coastal Carolina Assists: Maddie Bates 1; Ella Parker 1
Liberty Goalkeepers: W – Rachel Hines (11-7, 12 saves, eight goals, 60:00)
Coastal Carolina Goalkeepers: L – Charlotte Sadler (17 saves, 14 goals, 60:00)
DOMINANT AT BOTH ENDS ??@NCAALAX | @ASUNSports pic.twitter.com/Gw68BdCBpQ
— Liberty Lacrosse (@LibertyWLAX) May 3, 2025
Turning Point
Following a scoreless five minutes to open the game, Liberty erupted with 5-0 scoring advantage in the first quarter. Ava Rajala (9:58) netted a highlight-reel, behind-the-back goal, crossing the goalie's face as she zipped it by topside. Lehman added a goal (7:25) before Rajala scored her second of the contest (4:52). Following a Reinertson score (2:51), with five seconds left in the quarter, Kate Troutman picked up a saved shot and immediately threw it on net through a crowd and found the back of the net to extend the lead to 5-0.
Liberty carried the momentum into the second quarter, adding a Colavito (14:26) and Reinertson goal (12:14). Coastal netted its first score of the contest, one of three straight, from Beaudet. For the rest of the contest, the Chanticleers were unable to get within three goals of Liberty as the Lady Flames held on for the title.
First Half Summary
- Liberty led 8-3 at halftime with a 21-14 advantage in shots.
- Coastal's Charlotte Sadler (All-Tournament team) made 11 saves in the first half while Hines recorded eight for Liberty.
- The Lady Flames held a slim 7-6 advantage in draw controls.
- Coastal went 2-of-3 in free-position attempts while Liberty was 0-of-2.
- Liberty went a perfect 11-of-11 in clear attempts. Coastal was 10-of-12.
- The Lady Flames forced eight caused turnovers. The Chanticleers turned the ball over nine times and recorded four caused turnovers.
Second Half Summary
- Liberty held a 6-4 scoring edge in the second half with a 16-11 advantage in shots.
- Coastal's Sadler recorded six saves while Hines managed four.
- The Lady Flames outdrew CCU 7-5 in the second half.
- The Chanticleers turned the ball over 11 times in the second half, with 10 caused by Liberty.
- Coastal netted three free-position goals (3-of-4) in the third quarter and went 0-of-1 in the fourth. Liberty was 1-of-3 in the second half.
Lady Flames News & Notes
- With her third goal of the game, Reinertson became the single-season goals leader for Liberty with her 53rd goal of the season. She surpassed Katy Pridemore (2012-15) with 52 in 2015. Mackenzie Lehman tied the previous record, netting her 52nd goal of the year in the fourth quarter.
- Liberty surpassed multiple team single-season records in the ASUN Championship. The 2025 Lady Flames broke single-season record for goals with 279 (previously 271 in '23), assists with 126 (previously 124 in '15), points with 405 (previously 381 in '23) and draw controls with 325 (previously in '23).
- The Lady Flames edged Coastal in shots 37-25 for the game with a 31-20 advantage in shots on goal
- Liberty caused 18 turnovers to nine by Coastal. The Chanticleers turned the ball over 20 total times to 12 from Liberty. Burrow led the team with three while six others recorded multiple caused turnovers.
- The Lady Flames earned 18 ground balls to 14 for Coastal. Seven Lady Flames recorded multiple ground balls.
- Coastal went 5-of-8 in free-position attempts, earning over half of its goals from 8-meter chances. Liberty was 1-of-5 from free-position chances.
Team Stats
CCU
LIBERTY
Shots
25
37
Turnovers
21
13
Caused Turnovers
9
18
Draw Controls
11
14
Free-Position Shots
8
5
Ground Balls
15
19
Game Leaders
Players
G
4
A
2
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
0
G
3
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
3
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
3
CT
2
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's LacrosseLiberty Lacrosse: Giving Hope to a New Teammate
Tuesday, June 03
Coach Nangle Talks About Preparing For The NCAA WLAX Tournament
Tuesday, May 06
Mackenzie Lehman & Katie Colavito Talk About Preparing For The NCAA WLAX Tournament
Tuesday, May 06
Coach Nangle & Mackenzie Lehman Talk About Winning The ASUN Tournament
Saturday, May 03