Liberty Women’s soccer outlasts JMU 3-2 after two extra periods

Fighting from behind twice within the first 90 minutes, Liberty women’s soccer held out for a dramatic winner in overtime Thursday night against James Madison (2-7), taking a 3-2 win after freshman Grace Spade turned home a loose ball in the penalty area to end the game. 

Locked at 2-2 for most of the game after four goals in the first 47 minutes, the Lady Flames grew into the game after an often disorganized first half, but neither side could clinch the win. But in the end, all it took was the deft flick of a shoe for Spade to eke out the win after 104 minutes of tense soccer, taking the Lady Flames to a 3-4-2 overall record. 

The Lady Flames entered Thursday’s game coming off the back of a 1-0 victory against Pittsburgh, the program’s first win against an ACC team, but when JMU midfielder Ebony Wiseman curled home a shot for the lead in the first five minutes, the Lady Flames needed to find their feet quickly. 

“After coming up with the win against (Pittsburgh), we collectively decided we could go one of two ways,” junior defender Cora Duininck said. “We could either take that and decide that’s the end of the mark or take that and try to go forward, and I think that tonight we went forward. It took us a little to get started, but I think we were definitely putting the pressure on them.”

Liberty’s response took only eight minutes when Kasey Jamieson burst down the right and lashed a shot on goal that the goalie flapped at before Elisa Warren slammed home the rebound to level the game at 1-1. 

Revitalized by the goal, the Lady Flames tightened their hold on the game, but they continued to look shaky at the back, and JMU capitalized two minutes before halftime, catching the defense off-guard with a simple ball over the top for midfielder Hannah Coulling to drift into the box and tap home for the 2-1 lead. 

“I think that the first 10, maybe 12 minutes definitely belonged to JMU,” Wedemeyer said. “After that, we started to play well, created some chances and were in control of the game, got a goal back and then we gave up the second one kind of against the run of play. I think we maybe weren’t as sharp as we could be in certain moments.”

But Wedemeyer’s halftime adjustments quickly paid off as Liberty pressed high up the field, forcing a giveaway that senior forward Gabrielle Farrell pounced on to drive past goalkeeper Hannah McShea for the equalizer. 

Farrell’s goal was her fourth of the season, already passing her tally of three from last season and demonstrating her growing confidence.

“With this being my last year, I feel like my mindset is completely different,” Farrell said. “I want to give everything for my teammates and the fans and the coaches. I don’t want to leave this year thinking that I could have given more, and I think my mentality has changed within these four years, just understanding that every game could be my last.”

Farrell’s goal shifted the balance of the game, with Liberty dominating from midfield as JMU began to defend deeper and deeper in its own half. But JMU continued to threaten on the counterattack, and when Coulling sent a free header from a corner spiraling over the crossbar, the best chance of the second half went begging.  

Possession jumped back and forth, both teams struggling to find a chink in the other’s armor, but when the final whistle blew, JMU and Liberty were still locked at 2-2. 

With all Liberty’s efforts, JMU had the best chance of the first period of overtime, but a sprawling save by goalkeeper Melodie Jayroe denied JMU the lead, and Spade’s goal halfway through the second period of overtime showed the mentality that Wedemeyer has been trying to instill in his players this season. 

“It was a real gritty performance,” Wedemeyer said. “We didn’t start well and credit to JMU for jumping on us, but these are the types of games last year early in the season that we’d give up a goal and just wilt and have a really hard time finding our way back, so I think it showed some maturity . . . to come back twice and then be able to put it away in overtime.”

The thrill of the last-minute goal was a memory that Farrell will treasure as she looks back on her soccer career at Liberty. 

“It’s so exciting – at first we all pause, and then we celebrate – we didn’t even know if it actually went in (at first),” Farrell said. “But it’s so exciting, being able to celebrate with the girls that you spend so much time with and love – it’s so unreal, the joy of hugging each other and celebrating and being so excited. It’s so much fun and it’s so awesome to play this game with these girls.” 

The Lady Flames extended their winning streak to three games as they beat VMI 3-0 Sunday afternoon in their last game before ASUN competition, with Farrell adding her fifth goal of the season, leading the team in scoring.

Liberty begins conference play against Jacksonville Sep. 26.