Liberty University
4-5-0
VCU
4-4-1
VCU Edges Liberty, 2-1, Sunday
9/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Liberty women's soccer team looked to return to the win column on Sunday night, squaring off with VCU at Sportsbackers Stadium. After Liberty tied the game with a goal from junior Isabella Habuda, the Rams responded in the second period with a marker in the 69th minute to take the contest, 2-1.
With the defeat, Liberty ends its non-conference slate with a 4-5 record. VCU moves to 4-4-1 on the season.
VCU received goals from Julia Suarez and Amanda Tredway. Kelley Graves was credited with the assist on Tredway's marker. Redshirt junior Bertha Martinez earned the helper on the goal by Habuda.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Tori Collar made her first career start for the Lady Flames, finishing with two saves. Meanwhile, VCU's Audrey Sanderson also played the full 90 minutes in the net, making five stops.
Shots were even on the night at 9-9, with Liberty holding the edge on corner kicks, 6-4.
The Rams lit up the board early, capitalizing on a penalty kick opportunity in the eighth minute. Following a foul in the box, Suarez took the kick for the home team, placing the ball in the lower left corner for the 1-0 lead.
Shots were at a premium for both teams during the next 23 minutes. Junior forward Jennifer Knoebel tried to put Liberty on the board in the 30th minute, booting a ball from inside the 18-yard box on the right side. Sanderson made a dive to grab the ball with both hands, preventing the Lady Flames from scoring.
Two minutes later, Habuda garnered the equalizer for Liberty with a marker in the 32nd minute. Dribbling along the far side, Martinez sent a ball up to Habuda from the midfield. The junior received the pass and drove into the box on the left side, angling a 15-yard shot in the back of the Rams net. Habuda's third goal of the season knotted the contest, 1-1.
Later in the 42nd minute, junior defender Jordan Kestel airmailed a 25-yard attempt from the near side at the VCU goal frame, which resulted in another save for Sanderson. The Rams countered with a shot on goal of their own 43 ticks later. Collar made the stop to keep the matchup tied at halftime.
VCU wasted little time testing the hands of Collar in the second half, as Maddi Santo fired a shot at the Liberty goal. The Liberty netminder thwarted the attempt to maintain the stalemate.
In the 69th minute, VCU's Graves set up the Rams' second goal, sending a crossing pass over to Tredway inside the 18-yard box. Tredway rocketed a shot into the upper right corner, putting the home team up, 2-1.
Liberty turned up the intensity in the final four minutes in search for the game-tying goal. Knoebel attempted a long shot in the 87th minute, which Sanderson scooped up.
In the final minute, Farrell broke through the Rams defense and tried to slip by Sanderson for a potential look at an open net. The goalkeeper quickly tapped it out to set up a final Liberty corner kick. Junior defender Sami Santos sent the ball inside and sophomore defender Hadley Jones rushed up to head the ball. The sophomore's effort was nabbed by Sanderson with four seconds left, leading to the 2-1 final.
Liberty returns to action on Saturday, opening its Big South Conference slate on the road against High Point. Game time in High Point, N.C. is slated for 7 p.m.
Team Stats
SUAREZ, Julia (4)
VCU SUAREZ, Julia PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 4 for season.
7:05
HABUDA, Isabella (3)
Assisted By: MARTINEZ, Bertha
through pass into 18 LS, shot far post i
31:13
TREDWAY, Amanda (2)
Assisted By: GRAVES, Kelly
cross from LS into 18, shot into right c
68:52
