Women’s soccer versus the LA Tech Bulldogs, 4-1

The Liberty women’s soccer team traveled to Louisiana this weekend to play LA Tech in its final game of the regular season. The Flames defeated the Bulldogs 4-1, to securing the two seed and the bye week that comes with it in the Conference USA Women’s Soccer Championship. 

In the first ever meeting between the LA Tech Bulldogs and the Flames, tensions were high as the Bulldogs fought to defend their home field. 

The Liberty takedown of the Bulldogs was secured in the first half with four unanswered goals, the first of which came off the boot of Liberty freshman forward Ava Goodman at 35:54, giving her her fifth goal of the season. After being scoreless in her last five matches, this goal marked something of a comeback for the freshman, and her first goal of the game was just the beginning of her rebound into the scoring column.

Goodman scored the second goal for Liberty at 33 minutes, only two minutes after her first goal. This increased the Flames lead to  2-0 within the first 15 minutes of the opening half.

In the 21st minute, assisted by freshman defenseman Sallie Garner, graduate midfielder Saydie Holland notched a third goal for Liberty for her sixth goal this season. 

The fourth goal and final of the first half was scored by Liberty freshman midfielder Avenley Monteith — which turned out to be the final goal scored by Liberty, the winning goal of the match and Monteith’s third goal of the season. 

The Flames ended the first half 4-0 while outshooting LA Tech 10-3 and leading in both corners and offsides. After the fourth goal, the team knew victory was assured. The Flames enthusiastically embraced each other on the field as the stands exploded with enthusiasm.

The Lady Flames have seen great success on the road this season and boast 13-game win streak while away from Lynchburg. Flames’ Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer stated that the team is succeeding so much because it has “done such a good job balancing the workload and the mental preparation it takes.”

The first and only goal scored by the Bulldogs was tallied at the 24-minute mark of the second half by LA Tech’s freshman forward Kyra Taylor. 

Having secured the No. 2 seed in the CUA Championship,  the Flames are poised perfectly to make a strong run for the title and are now set to face off against the winner of Wednesday’s matchup between Western Kentucky and Louisiana Tech. 

Richards is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion