Liberty University Flames

No. 9 Liberty will return from its three-game road trip to host a pair of home games this weekend against Providence and Kent State.

Liberty (12-2), the BIG EAST leader at 5-0 and currently on a nine-game winning streak, will welcome the Providence Friars (6-9, 1-4 BIG EAST) to Lynchburg on Friday. Match time is 3 p.m. at the Liberty Field Hockey Field. A win over Providence would allow Liberty to clinch a share of the BIG EAST regular season title for the first time in program history.

On Sunday, the Lady Flames will host the 22nd-ranked Kent State Golden Flashes (10-4) at 1 p.m. Sunday is Senior Day for the Liberty field hockey program. Prior to the contest, the program will honor its six seniors – Kendra Jones, Jill Bolton, Ashley Dykema-Pereira, Maddie Hosler, Alexis Paone and Darby Brennan.

Liberty went 2-0 last weekend in a pair of road games, defeating Temple 6-1 and Longwood 3-1. Providence topped Brown 2-0 in its most recent action, last Sunday. Kent State has won five straight games, with its most recent victory a 2-1 win at Bucknell. The Golden Flashes will square off with Appalachian State on Friday before heading to Lynchburg.

Lady Flames News and Notes

• Liberty and Providence did not play against each other during the spring 2021 campaign. The two teams last met on Nov. 1, 2019 in Lynchburg, a 2-0 Lady Flames win. Liberty is 7-0 all-time against the Friars, including a 6-0 mark since joining the BIG EAST Conference in 2016.

• The Lady Flames and Kent State Golden Flashes will be meeting for the third time and first since 2018. Liberty is 2-0 against Kent State. The Lady Flames topped the Golden Flashes 2-1 on the road in the last matchup (Aug. 31, 2018). Liberty bested Kent State 7-2 on Nov. 17, 2017, in what was the first-ever showdown between the two programs.

• Junior forward Daniella Rhodes was tabbed the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, Wednesday. Additionally, junior defender Bethany Dykema garnered inclusion on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll. Rhodes tallied three goals, two assists and eight points in a pair of wins last weekend. Dykema was responsible for three goals, one assist and seven points in those victories.

• Liberty leads the nation in four offensive categories: goals per game (4.21), scoring average (4.21), points per game (12.21) and assists per game (3.79). The Lady Flames are also second in scoring margin (3.14), 11th in goals-against-average (1.07), 15th in save percentage (.779) and 17th in penalty corners per game (7.21).

• Rhodes ranks No. 4 in the country in goals per game (1.18) and No. 5 in points per game (2.82). Senior forward Jill Bolton is seventh nationally in both goals per game (1.00) and points per game (2.36). Senior midfielder Kendra Jones is currently 14th in the country in assists per game (0.62).

• Liberty held steady at No. 9 in this week’s Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Lady Flames have been listed among the top 10 teams in the nation in three straight weeks and four of seven weeks overall.

• Liberty is No. 10 in the NCAA Field Hockey RPI listing, the best among BIG EAST schools. Old Dominion is No. 14, and Connecticut is No. 19.

• The Lady Flames are 4-2 against top-25 teams this season. Liberty has ranked victories over No. 9 North Carolina, No. 15 UConn, No. 20 Duke and No. 25 Stanford.

• During Liberty’s current nine-game winning streak, they have outscored their opponents 40-6.

• A win over the Providence Friars would give the Lady Flames a share of the BIG EAST regular season title. Liberty is 36-9 in BIG EAST regular season matches since joining the conference prior to the 2016 season.

Schedule

Lady Flames to Host Friars, No. 22 Golden Flashes