Saturday, September 26
Lynchburg, Va.
11:30 AM ET
Liberty University
8-2-1, 1-0-0
1
vs
0
Western Kentucky
6-1-4, 0-1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Ky. | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Liberty | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Flames on Top! Liberty Bests Unbeaten Western Kentucky 1-0
9/26/2026 4:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty (8-2-1, 1-0 CUSA) up its first-ever win against Western Kentucky (6-1-4, 0-1 CUSA), halting their unblemished season with a 1-0 home triumph on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Flames opened Conference USA action in their title-defense season with a shutout victory.
Liberty's lone goal in the contest came late, just as Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer was gearing up for his starting unit to re-take the field in the 77th minute. The Lady Flames pushed up the field as midfielder Avenley Monteith sent a ball deep into the Hilltoppers 18-yard box. The ball found Dani Gubbels near the side of the net, but with a harsh angle. Gubbels sent a shot that was crossing the goal frame before it was misplayed by a WKU defender attempting to clear the ball. Instead, the ball went to the side of the goal frame, going credited as an own goal.
With the score, Liberty gained its first-ever tally against WKU in their third meeting.
Leading up to the go-ahead score, the two programs were in a stalemate, neither team generating high-quality chances. Liberty came out of the half strong, registering eight consecutive shots, but WKU was able to thwart quality shots from Haley Noblit and Avenley Monteith.
In the waning minutes of the contest, WKU's April McDonald held the Hilltoppers best opportunity for a score. The former CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year, Ainsley Leja, stepped up to the play, extending for a critical, victory-sealing save, her fourth of the afternoon.
Liberty extends its winning streak at home to 13 games, including three CUSA Championship contests. The Lady Flames are also now 10-0-2 in its last 12 games against CUSA opponents.
Scoring Summary
77' – Liberty – Own Goal
Lady Flames News & Notes
Up Next
Liberty travels for its longest trip of the season when it takes on Middle Tennessee (7-2-2) on Thursday and New Mexico State (1-7-2) on Sunday. Both contests will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Liberty's lone goal in the contest came late, just as Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer was gearing up for his starting unit to re-take the field in the 77th minute. The Lady Flames pushed up the field as midfielder Avenley Monteith sent a ball deep into the Hilltoppers 18-yard box. The ball found Dani Gubbels near the side of the net, but with a harsh angle. Gubbels sent a shot that was crossing the goal frame before it was misplayed by a WKU defender attempting to clear the ball. Instead, the ball went to the side of the goal frame, going credited as an own goal.
LEAD SECURED ??@ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/XyNJ49mame
— Liberty Women's Soccer (@LibertyWSoccer) September 26, 2026
With the score, Liberty gained its first-ever tally against WKU in their third meeting.
Leading up to the go-ahead score, the two programs were in a stalemate, neither team generating high-quality chances. Liberty came out of the half strong, registering eight consecutive shots, but WKU was able to thwart quality shots from Haley Noblit and Avenley Monteith.
In the waning minutes of the contest, WKU's April McDonald held the Hilltoppers best opportunity for a score. The former CUSA Goalkeeper of the Year, Ainsley Leja, stepped up to the play, extending for a critical, victory-sealing save, her fourth of the afternoon.
Holding the lead ?? pic.twitter.com/Zpkfv7s0hi
— Liberty Women's Soccer (@LibertyWSoccer) September 26, 2026
Liberty extends its winning streak at home to 13 games, including three CUSA Championship contests. The Lady Flames are also now 10-0-2 in its last 12 games against CUSA opponents.
Scoring Summary
77' – Liberty – Own Goal
Lady Flames News & Notes
- Liberty extends its winning streak to six games, currently ranking as the third-longest winning streak (tied) among Division I programs this season.
- The own goal marked Liberty's second of the season, having been on the receiving end in the first game of the season against East Carolina.
- Liberty outshot WKU 19-8 (7-4 shots on goal), including 14 shots in the second half.
- Goalkeeper Ainsley Leja (6-1-1) records her fourth shutout of the season and is credited with her 25th career shutout. She carries season averages of a 0. 69 goals-against average and an .808 save percentage.
Up Next
Liberty travels for its longest trip of the season when it takes on Middle Tennessee (7-2-2) on Thursday and New Mexico State (1-7-2) on Sunday. Both contests will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's SoccerTeam Stats
WKU
LU
Goals
0
1
Shots
9
17
Shots on Goal
4
7
Saves
7
4
Corners
3
8
Fouls
7
7
Scoring Plays
0
GOAL by LU TEAM.
76:54
Game Leaders
mid
Shots
6
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
def
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Saturday, September 26
Thursday, September 24
Friday, September 11
Monday, September 07