Lady Flames stay hot
Another game, another victory
Fans gathered beneath a hot sun to witness the Liberty University women’s soccer team (4-3) claim victory 2-0 against the previously undefeated George Washington Colonials (6-1) in Osborne Stadium Sunday, Sept. 11.
ON THE MOVE — Caroline Boone dribbled the ball away from pursuing George Washington defenders. Photo credit: Caroline Sellers
The Lady Flames demonstrated athletic aggression early in the game, shooting over twice as much as their opponents.
Led by freshman forward Gabrielle Farrell, the Flames fought their way to an astonishing victory.
“Obviously George Washington was a very good team,” Head Coach Nate Norman said. “We did a good job competing in the first half, and then we raised the level of play in the second.”
In the second half, Farrell took it upon herself to score the first goal.
She demonstrated incredible athletic prowess as she split defenders at the top of the box, then took her shot.
“It felt really good to score that goal,” Farrell said. “Once we get a goal, our momentum picks up.”
Norman said that Farrell has been a tremendous player and that she has added a lot to the team.
“Her ability to run at players and go one-on-one causes other teams nightmares,” Norman said. “I love watching her play, and she’s so fun to coach.”
With the 1-0 lead, the Lady Flames continued to relentlessly attack the goal.
RUN — Sami Santos looked for space. Photo credit: Caroline Sellers
Play after play, they executed their offense, resulting in a well-earned victory.
One of the biggest challenges Liberty faced during the match was containing George Washington’s leading scorer, senior forward MacKenzie Cowley.
“We had to make sure to always have pressure on her,” Norman said. “We had to make it uncomfortable for her when she had the ball.”
Junior defender Ashleigh Hill said Coach Norman stressed the importance of containing Cowley in practice.
“We were smart and efficient in how we pressured them,” Norman said. “I thought we also did that well, especially in the
second half.”
With five minutes left to play, Farrell passed to the right side of the box, where the ball met junior forward Isabella Habuda.
With effortless precision, Habuda drilled it passed George Washington’s goalkeeper, Miranda Horn, sealing Liberty’s win.
“The thing we really did well was keeping George Washington from developing a rhythm,” Norman said. “That is always our goal: to never let our opponents feel comfortable.”
Farrell’s father, who had driven nearly seven hours to watch her play, said he was thrilled to witness the Liberty win.
“It was so cool to have my dad here,” Farrell said. “I’m glad he saw me score.”
The Lady Flames will take on Florida Gulf Coast Friday, Sept. 16 at Osborne Stadium.
“We do not adjust much of our game,” Norman said. “We just try to get better every single day. Our whole philosophy is trying to get our opponents to change for us.”
Smith is a sports reporter.