Sports briefs
High scoring — The lacrosse team beat Erskine Tuesday with a score of 17-7, led by five scorers with four goals each. Photo credit: Les Schofer
Shepherd matches record on his birthday
Liberty pole vaulter Kolby Shepherd matched a long-standing school record of 17-6.5 feet Saturday at the Texas Relays. The vault placed him third in the competition among several talented and decorated athletes.
The two vaulters to place higher were the No. 1 ranked pole vaulter for the 2011 season and last year’s national champion. Shepherd successfully cleared the vault on his first attempt. The record had been held since 1993 and was Liberty track and field’s oldest standing record. Not only was Saturday a successful day for Shepherd, but it was also his 22nd birthday.
Golf places second at River Landing
Liberty’s golf team took second place this weekend at the River Landing Intercollegiate competition. After the first 36 holes in the two-day tournament, No. 32 Liberty led the competition with a combined 21-under par, but recorded a one-over par during of Saturday’s play.
Liberty finished the competition 20-under par, which is the Flames lowest score of the second, as well as the second lowest in the program’s history. Junior Robert Karlsson finished to share fourth place at seven-under par, and was Liberty’s top finisher. The next event takes the Flames to the 2011 Big South Men’s Championship April 18-20. The first place finisher will receive the automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Competition.
Football spring practice under way
The Liberty Flames football team completed its third week of spring practices. According to Libertyflames.com, head coach Danny Rocco feels as if he has about 95 percent of his offensive and defensive game plans ready. Rocco has one week left of practice until the annual spring football game Saturday, April 16 at 1 p.m. The team will be running drills to work on unique game situations for its next three practices, beginning Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Women’s Lacrosse wins one of three
The Lady Flames had a busy week, playing two games on the road and returning home to close out the week.
The Lady Flames dropped the first game of the week last Sunday to an evenly-matched Presbyterian, 13-12. Freshman Jen Freymond netted a season-high five goals. The Lady Flames rebounded Tuesday with a 17-7 victory against Erskine. Karis Walborn, Kristen Crowley, Jen Moyer and Freymond all scored four goals a piece for the Lady Flames. Emily Dinsmore, Annessa Jamison, Amanda Hornick, Alexis Fifleski and Bianca Brancaleone each netted one each.
The Lady Flames lost to NLC opponent Davidson Sunday, despite holding a 4-3 lead in the first period. Crowley led the Lady Flames with four goals, and goalie Kristen Masullo made 13 saves. The loss takes the Lady Flames to 5-7 on the season and 2-3 in conference play.
Alumna signs with WNBA team
Liberty graduate and women’s basketball standout Megan Frazee signed with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics. Frazee spend the last two seasons with the San Antonio Stars, as well as in the Turkish Women’s Basketball League.
Frazee and last year’s No. 1 Eastern Conference seed begin preseason play May 25 against the New York Liberty.
Baseball takes two of four
Sluggers — Second baseman Zach Haley waits for his pitch. Photo credit: Bekah Lohr
The Flames baseball team fell the James Madison Dukes Wednesday at home in a hard-fought 16-12 slugfest. The loss dropped Liberty to 15-15 on the season. With high wind gusts, seven combined home runs were recorded. JMU, which leads the country in home runs, hit five out of the park. Despite the loss, left fielder Doug Bream had a career day with four singles and a double. Third baseman Tyler Bream, designated hitter Justin Sizemore, catcher Casey Rasmus and second baseman Austin Taylor each recorded two hits.
The Flames traveled to High Point for a three-game conference series. Liberty dropped its first game, 6-2, but came back Saturday night, blanking the Panthers 9-0. Starting pitcher John Niggli pitched eight solid innings for the Flames, keeping High Point off the scoreboard. Sunday’s game looked bleak, but a strong comeback in the ninth inning pushed the Flames to a 12-9 victory over High Point. The Flames scored seven runs on seven hits in the ninth, batting around the Panthers relief pitching.
The win takes the Flames to 17-16 on the season and 7-5 in the Big South Conference.