Lady Flames Soccer wins Conference USA title with 2-1 victory over New Mexico State

The Liberty women’s soccer team won the 2023 CUSA Women’s Soccer Championship on Sunday, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament with a 2-1 victory over No. 1 seed New Mexico State.

Midfielder Rachel DeRuby was named the Offensive MVP of the tournament having recorded three goals and two assists during the event (eight total points, one goal and one assist Sunday).

Goalkeeper Ainsley Leja was awarded Defensive MVP honors with a four-save performance Sunday and just a single goal allowed during the tournament.

Midfielder Saydie Holland and forward Allison Hansford were also named to the CUSA All-Tournament team.

Holland netted the game-winning goal with five minutes left in the game with a pinpoint header. Rachel DeRuby assisted on the go-ahead score on the corner opportunity.

DeRuby opened the scoring off a penalty kick during the 19′ minute. Hansford drew a penalty attempting a cutback into the midfield after beating her defender into the box.

New Mexico State drew the match even off a near free kick that ricocheted off multiple bodies. The Aggies’ Gianna Valenti score was her sixth goal of the season and her third of the CUSA Championship.

Liberty avenged its regular-season loss to New Mexico State, a 2-0 home loss on Sept. 30. The loss ended Liberty’s 24-game unbeaten streak that dated back to Sept. 11, 2022.

The Lady Flames (16-2-1) secured their first conference championship since the 2021 spring season. Liberty topped No. 2 seed Kennesaw State for the ASUN title on April 17, 2021.

The Lady Flames were matched up with Washington in the NCAA women’s Soccer Tournament, falling 3-0 on April 27.

This is Liberty’s eighth conference title in program history and first as a member of Conference USA. The Lady Flames won six titles as a member of the Big South Conference (2000, 2001, 2005, 2013, 2015 and 2016) and one in the ASUN Conference (Spring 2021).

Liberty will find out their next opponent and destination in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament selection show on Monday at 4 p.m.