Champions
Lady Flames capture conference title
The Liberty Flames women’s soccer team is Big South Champions for the fifth time in program history.
Defense — Big South Tournament MVP Alex Mack during her final home game. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
The Lady Flames beat the Campbell Camels 1-0 thanks to an early first half goal from senior midfielder Brittany Aanderud. Liberty was back in the final for the third year in a row, but was looking for their first win since 2013.
“Since last year when we lost in the final I think we had a lot to prove,” Aanderud said. “This has been our motivation since spring.”
Aanderud was named to the Big South All-Tournament team along with sophomore forward Jennifer Knoebel, redshirt junior goalkeeper Holly Van Noord and senior defender Alex Mack. Mack was named MVP of the tournament.
“Im so proud of our entire team,” Mack said. “We worked so hard. Everyone could see that it was a fight until the end.”
The early goal was crucial to the Lady Flames confidence going into the second half and it allowed the team to not have to take chances, knowing they had the lead.
“An early start was great and an early goal was awesome and helpful,” Head Coach Jessica Hain said. “We had a tenacious defense, just throwing their bodies around. It was an unbelievable
defensive effort.”
The Lady Flames will face the No. 3 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round of the Women’s College Cup. Kickoff is set for Friday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m.
“When it comes to tournament time, it could be our last game in senior year,” Mack said. “So I’m just trying to enjoy the process.”
Liberty is now tied with High Point and Radford for the most women’s soccer Big South Championships.
Schmieg is the asst. sports editor.