UC Davis Edges Liberty 12-11, Friday
Host UC Davis edged Liberty 12-11 on Friday afternoon at UC Davis Health Stadium. The Aggies’ Ella Brislin scored the game-winning goal with 1:22 remaining on a free-position shot.
Liberty slips to 3-4 on the year and has lost back-to-back games. UC Davis moves above .500 and is 3-2 this season. Today’s meeting between the Lady Flames and Aggies was the second ever between the two teams but first since 2010.
Liberty’s Mia Toscano scored a career-high four goals in the game, while Lizzy Ferguson matched a career best with nine draw controls.
Scoring Summary
Liberty Goals: Mia Toscano 4, Olivia Glaze 2, Lizzy Ferguson 2, Brooke Bryan 2, Tori Banks 1
Liberty Assists: Jordan Sheive 1
UC Davis Goals: Ella Brislin 3, Alex Agnew 2, Kendall Seifert 2, Natalie Markman 2, Grace Gebhardt 1, Mia Lawrence 1, Brooke Long 1
UC Davis Assists: Alex Agnew 2, Ella Brislin 2, Grace Gebhardt 1, Natalie Wilson 1
Goalkeepers
W: Ashley Laing 3-2, 15 saves
L: Jennifer Soriero 3-3, seven saves
Turning Point
Liberty took a 9-8 lead with 12:44 to go after a Brooke Bryan free-position goal. The Aggies scored the next three goals, as Alex Agnew, Brislin and Brooke Long each found the back of the net. Long’s goal with 3:44 remaining made it 11-9 UC Davis.
The Lady Flames responded by winning the next two draws and scoring the next two goals. Sophomore Olivia Glaze’s second goal of the afternoon brought Liberty within one (11-10) with 2:43 to play. Toscano tied it up at 11-all with her fourth goal of the day just 19 seconds later at the 2:24 mark.
The Aggies’ Natalie Wilson won the next draw, and Brislin scored the game winner with 1:22 left. Brislin claimed the next draw, and the Aggies ran out almost all of the rest of the clock to preserve the victory.
First Half Summary
• Liberty took a 7-5 lead after 30 minutes, with Ferguson winning six draw controls and scoring two goals. The Lady Flames scored twice in a 13-second span late in the half to go up by two goals, with Glaze (1:19 mark) and Ferguson (1:06 mark) finding the back of the net.
• The Lady Flames outshot the Aggies 19-14 in the half, with Toscano (five shots) and Ferguson (four goals) leading the charge.
Second Half Summary
• UC Davis outscored Liberty 3-1 in the third frame to even the game at 8-8 heading into the final 15 minutes.
• The Lady Flames scooped up nine of their 14 ground balls in the second half.
Key Stats & Notes
• Liberty outshot UC Davis 35-28. Both teams scooped up 14 ground balls. The Aggies held a 15-12 edge in draw controls.
• UC Davis won the battle for draw controls 15-12. Ferguson had nine of the 12 draw controls for the Lady Flames. Her nine draws matched a career high. She also had nine draw controls in the 2021 ASUN title game versus Jacksonville.
• This is the first time Liberty has lost a game this season in which it has led at the half.
• Liberty falls to 1-2 in road games.
• Today’s game was Liberty’s first in California since playing at SDSU on March 23, 2018.
• UC Davis is 2-0 all-time versus Liberty.
Up Next
• Liberty will be back in action at California (0-5), Sunday afternoon. Game time is 3 p.m. Eastern (noon Pacific) at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif.
• This will be the first-ever meeting between the Lady Flames and Golden Bears.
