The Liberty Women’s Soccer team secured a 1-0 win over James Madison University (JMU) at Osborne Stadium Sept. 10.
Four minutes into the first half, junior forward Margaret Garner tested JMU fourth year goalie Sofia DeCerb, followed by an attempt from junior midfielder Isabella Wedemeyer that went wide“The first half we were kind of scrambling, trying to figure things out a little bit,” Lady Flames Head Coach Lang Wedemeyer said.
JMU challenged sixth year goalie Ainsley Leja, but she remained steady and made three saves by the end of the first half.
“The goalies are amazing,” fifth year forward Halle Engle said. “They come out and work with us. They really challenge us.”
Both teams took three shots on goal heading into halftime.
Early in the second half, JMU attempted three more shots on goal, but Leja continued to keep the ball out of the net. The Lady Flames created more opportunities for themselves, making JMU’s defense scramble.
“Second half was much better with our pressure, and we created many more chances,” Wedemeyer said.
Wedemeyer highlighted senior forward Margaret Garner’s role on offense.
“She’s been really dynamic for us and being dangerous,” Wedemeyer said. “We created more corners in the second half, more shots.”
JMU 4th-year forward Ginny Lackey took a shot on goal with 17 minutes left in the game, but was stopped by Leja, who set a new season high for saves in a single game with her sixth against JMU.
With eight minutes remaining, Garner worked past JMU defenders to deliver a pass to Engle, who buried the shot and gave the Lady Flames the lead.
“It’s an honor to be able to step up and be that person, but I can’t say I did it alone,” Engle said. “The whole team — Margaret played me an amazing ball, our defense was great, and I just had to put it in the back of the net at the end.”
JMU managed one final shot in the last minutes, but couldn’t find the goal, giving the Lady Flames the victory.
After the game, Liberty invited JMU to the center of the field for a brief prayer, continuing a tradition done with every opposing team.
“Soccer is so up and down. We always talk about how it’s inconsistent and it’s not something that you can rely on every day,” Engle said. “But Jesus Christ is a strong foundation.”
Wedemeyer voiced his pride regarding the faith and maturity that the Lady Flames display on and off the field.
“We realized that what we’re doing on the field is much bigger than playing soccer and winning games. We want to play for a higher purpose,” Wedemeyer said. “And praying with the other team at the end of the game is one aspect of that.”
The Lady Flames continued their win streak with a 2-1 victory against Old Dominion University Sept. 13.
Lashely is a sports reporter for The Liberty Champion.