Liberty University
(8-2)
Duke
(4-7)
No. 12 Liberty Powers Past No. 20 Duke 5-2
10/3/2021 8:13:00 PM | Field Hockey
No. 12 Liberty powered past No. 20 Duke 5-2 in non-conference action, Sunday afternoon at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
Liberty runs its winning streak to five games and bolsters its record to 8-2 this fall. Meanwhile, Duke slips to 4-7 and has lost back-to-back games.
The victory is Liberty's second straight against Duke. The Lady Flames bested Duke 3-2 in double overtime during the spring season, their first-ever victory over the Blue Devils.
Liberty freshman Martu Cian led the charge with her first career two-goal game. Meanwhile, Daniella Rhodes, Maddie Hosler and Charlotte Vaanhold scored goals in the victory.
Scoring Summary
7' – LIBERTY – Daniella Rhodes (unassisted)
9' – LIBERTY – Maddie Hosler (Jodie Conolly) | Penalty Corner
18' – DUKE – Lexi Davidson | Penalty Stroke
38' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (Daniella Rhodes) | Penalty Corner
52' – DUKE – Logan Clouser (unassisted)
54' – LIBERTY – Martu Cian (Jill Bolton)
60' – LIBERTY – Charlotte Vaanhold (Kendra Jones)
Goalkeepers
W: Azul Irixity Irigoyen 8-2, four saves
L: Â Piper Hampsch 3-7, four saves
Turning Point
Liberty's Cian scored both of her goals at crucial junctures with the Lady Flames leading by a single goal each time (2-1 score and 3-2 score). Her first goal came at the 37:20 mark from in front of the cage on a penalty corner, giving the home side a 3-1 lead.
After Duke's Logan Clouser drew the visitors within a goal (3-2) following her second goal of the season, Cian provided an insurance goal for Liberty in the 54th minute, her second of the day. Jill Bolton drove the baseline and sent a ball towards the right post, which Cian tipped in for the 4-2 advantage.
Key Stats & Notes
• Liberty outshot Duke 17-12 on the afternoon and held a 10-7 edge in shots on goal. Bolton led all players with five shots (two on goal).
• The Lady Flames earned six penalty corner chances and capitalized with two goals. Duke won five short corners but came up empty on each attempt.
• Cian is the first Liberty freshman to score two or more goals in a game since Daniella Rhodes scored three goals against Georgetown during her first season on Oct. 18, 2019.
• Rhodes (3 g, 1 a) led the Lady Flames with seven points this weekend. The junior is up to eight goals, three assists and 19 points in seven games this season.
• With one assist today, Bolton inched closer to the program record for career points. She currently stands at 134 points, with the program record of 135 (Agueda Moroni) just one away. Bolton's next goal, or if she records two assists, will establish a new program record of 136 career points.
• Kendra Jones added an assist today on Charlotte Vaanhold's goal. Jones finished the weekend with four assists in two games and leads the team with six assists, this fall. Vaanhold's goal in the final minute of the contest was her third of the season and 23rd of her career.
• Maddie Hosler's goal was her second of the season, with both coming on penalty corners. Hosler also made a defensive save in the 55th minute, her second of the year, with Liberty leading 4-2.
• Prior to the current five-game winning streak, the last time Liberty won five or more games in a row was during the spring 2021 campaign. The Lady Flames opened the year 7-0.
• Liberty improves to 3-2 against top-25 teams, this season. Liberty's three-goal margin of victory is its largest ever over Duke. The Lady Flames and Blue Devils had gone to overtime or double overtime in each of the last four meetings prior to today's contest.
Up Next
Liberty will return to the pitch on Friday, welcoming the Villanova Wildcats (5-7, 1-2 BIG EAST) to town for a BIG EAST match. Game time is 3 p.m. at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
Friday's contest between the Lady Flames and Wildcats will be the inaugural Colon Cancer Awareness game. This game will be in honor Liberty Assistant Coach Heather Hefner's mom, Susan Wiley, who passed away due to colon cancer in June of 2014. The game will also be in support of Todd Lucas, pastor of Liberty Head Coach Nikki Parsley-Blocker while at Northwestern, who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. For more information and to donate to the cause, visit https://donate.coloncancercoalition.org/fundraise-your-way-general/FieldHockey.
Team Stats
RHODES, Daniella (8)
Scored on rebound from in front
6:46
HOSLER, Maddie (2)
Assisted By: CONOLLY, Jodie
Scored from right post on corner
8:46
Lexi Davidson (3)
DU Lexi Davidson PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 3 for season.
17:41
CIAN, Martu (2)
Assisted By: RHODES, Daniella
Scored from in front on corner
37:20
Logan Clouser (2)
Scored on rebound
51:45
CIAN, Martu (3)
Assisted By: BOLTON, Jill
Scored from right post on feed from 25
53:46
VAANHOLD, Charlotte (3)
Assisted By: JONES, Kendra
Scored on reverse into right side
59:03
