Women’s ultimate frisbee team continues strong spring 2019 season campaign

Following spring break and the halfway point of the semester, many students at Liberty University feel an increase in pressure as grades start coming in, assignments and exams pile up and the most relevant part of the semester arrives.

In a similar way, the Liberty women’s ultimate frisbee team is gearing up to engage the most pivotal part of its season.

After playing in the I-85 Rodeo tournament at Martinsville state March 30-31, the Lady Flames head to the Conference Championships April 13-14 in Glen Allen state, where they must finish in the four in order to advance to the Regional Championships in Axton April 27-28. 

A top finish at Regionals guarantees a spot in the women’s ultimate National Championships.

“It’s incredibly competitive,” Head Coach Jonathan Mast said. “We’re a young program, … (and it is) a rebuilding year for us, but I expect we’ll
do pretty well.”

After losing 10 of their 16 players as seniors from last year’s roster, the focus for this season’s squad rests on learning the fundamentals of ultimate frisbee and executing what they know.

“Our veteran players really put a lot of the load on their back,” Mast said. “The younger players have really been challenged to learn quickly and they’re enjoying it — which makes them learn the game a lot faster.”

Learning experiences have abounded over the course of the season so far, but overall the Lady Flames have remained respectable in their results. 

On Oct. 27 and 28, Liberty traveled to North Carolina State University to compete in a tournament that included Clemson, Duke and others. The Lady Flames finished fifth, going 4-2 overall.

Three months later, playing at the Winta Binta Vinta, a tournament in Charlottesville hosted by the University of Virginia, Liberty won three games, lost three and finished in sixth out of 10 teams.

Liberty was one of three dozen teams participating in the Commonwealth Cup in Axton Feb. 23 and 24. Playing the second tier of squads, the 12th-seeded Lady Flames went 4-2 to hold their seed.

“Because we’re a rebuilding team, one of our strategies has been, we don’t have the time this season to teach all the girls everything they need to know,” Mast said. “What we can make up for is grit, being in shape and then playing defense as a team.”  

Mast also identified specific areas the team will focus on in preparation for the tournaments coming up, including deep threats on offense and tenacity on defense.

But another key ingredient to success for the team, and a top priority for Mast as a coach, is ensuring the Lady Flames cultivate a strong team culture.

“Regardless of what happens in our season, our overall objective is to provide a place for the girls to grow spiritually and have camaraderie,” Mast said.

Senior McKenzie Ross, one of the few veterans on a roster comprised primarily of freshmen, noted the benefits of team bonding off the field, as she said it translates to better chemistry on the field. 

“There is a lot of camaraderie with the girls and it has fostered a culture of trust,” Ross said. “We spend a lot of time together on and off the field which helps us work better together during tournaments.”

The team chemistry formed may help the Liberty women’s ultimate team in numerous other ways as well, as they face the critical part of the semester together.

“(We’re) focusing on one tournament at a time and being faithful in the little things,” Ross said. “This is a great mindset for ultimate and the rest of life, both spiritually and in our school work.”