No trouble with the hose
Lady Flames crush the Blue Hose 7-1 to get back to .500 on the season
The Liberty University women’s soccer team (6-6) defeated Presbyterian College (2-9) 7-1 at Osborne Stadium Oct. 1.
The Presbyterian defense could not stop the Lady Flames from scoring. The first half ended with the Flames leading 4-0.
Liberty attempted 20 shots in the game — 11 in the first half and nine in the second.
The Lady Flames focused on multiple aspects of their game to help them perform to the best of
their abilities.
extension — Sophomore forward Morgan Tabor battled past a Presbyterian defender. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
“Every day we continually eat right, play hard, practice, keep each other accountable and we focus on what we can do better from our last game and how we can prepare for this team when we go out on the field,” sophomore center back Hadley Jones said.
The first goal, scored by freshman forward Gabrielle Farrell and assisted by junior forward Jennifer Knoebel, occurred one minute into the first half.
The ball was sent to the left side of the box and kicked in at close range. Farrell also scored the fourth goal on an open goal, assisted by junior defender Elisa Warren.
The game was not all about physical strength and talent — mental well-being was also largely responsible for the team’s success.
“It all starts during practice with getting in the right mindset for the game,” Farrell said.
“With training and lifting we really have to stay focused, motivate each other and always be very encouraging to each other. It is definitely a mental thing, staying focused throughout the week and training really hard.”
The second and third goals were scored by junior forward Isabella Habuda and Knoebel.
Both goals were assisted by Farrell. Habuda received a cross from the left wing, allowing her to finish in the corner for a goal.
Knoebel received a pass in the box which she finished into the right corner.
The fifth goal was scored by Knoebel as well, with no assistance in the 53rd minute.
She collected it outside the box and buried it into the right corner.
Presbyterian scored one goal during the second half in the 69th minute.
The goal was scored by defender Kelsey Yeager and assisted by midfielder Frances Whitesides.
Yaeger and forwards Kristen Peagler and Sarah Yoss attempted five shots in the game.
They also earned two corner kicks and four fouls by the end of the game.
“I think that we can do a better job in the back of connecting toward the midfield and keeping the balls low, which is better than those 50/50s up in the air, as well as our offense possibly working well on the shots by being a little more desperate in the box,” Jones said. “But I think we are doing great overall.”
The sixth goal for the Lady Flames was crossed from the left side of the box by Abigail Persson and placed into the right corner of the goal by Lauren Weygandt.
The last goal was scored by Erika Troutman with only five minutes left on the clock in the second half.
She scored from the far side of the box, drilling it into the left corner with no assistance.
“I thought we did great today,” Jones said. “The first half we did well. There was a moment we got a little sketchy, but we picked it up really quick. The second half with mixing it up, a bunch of people not playing positions they were used to, I thought everybody did exactly what they needed to do.”
The next game for the Lady Flames will be Oct. 5 against Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, South Carolina.
“I think this is a big confidence booster for us,” Farrell said. “So hopefully our momentum carries out.”
DEUTSCH is a sports reporter.