Four Wins in a Row for Women’s Soccer

Women’s soccer  picked up a big in-conference win on Thursday, Sept. 29, shutting out the Central Arkansas Bears at home 6-0. 

This win was Liberty’s fourth in a row, giving the team momentum as it approaches its final matches of the season.

Liberty was led by freshman forwards Allison Hansford and Halle Engle, who both notched two goals. Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer was impressed by the effectiveness of his freshman class, specifically Hansford.

“Allison has been fantastic for us coming off the bench,” Wedemeyer said. “She provides a spark to our offense. She is great on the ball, she can take players on one-on-one, and it was great to see her get a couple goals today.” 

Hansford was able to do just what Wedemeyer praised her for — beat a defender one-on-one and score two goals for the Lady Flames, which swung the momentum permanently in the direction of Liberty throughout the rest of the matchup.

Haleigh Arostegui and McKinley Burkett also scored one goal apiece in the blowout over the Bears. 

While the match was full of offense from the Lady Flames, they also dominated possession throughout the game and played stellar defense, keeping their goalkeeper comfortable. 

This home victory pushed the Flames to 4-0-1 in ASUN Conference play, inching the team closer to its goal of a bid to the NCAA tournament.

 “It’s rare that a mid-major school will get a bid at the NCAA tournament, so in conference wins will be our best chance to make it to the conference tournament first, and then be able to make some strides in that tournament to hopefully earn a spot in the NCAA tournament,” Wedemeyer said. 

The Lady Flames clearly have tournament hopes, and their ability to shut out opponents could help them realize those aspirations. This match marked their eighth shutout of the season.  

Before the Flames can look forward to the postseason and playoff tournament play, however, they must continue to pick up key wins in their remaining conference matches. 

The Lady Flames would extend their win streak to five consecutive games Oct. 2, topping North Alabama 4-1. Liberty will close out its home schedule Oct. 9 as its takes on ASUN newcomers Queens. The match will kick off at 1 p.m. and air on ESPN +. 

Young is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion