Liberty – 2 Liberty – 2 Liberty – 3 NMSU – 5 NMSU – 6 Liberty – 7 Liberty – 7
Notable Numbers - Liberty outhit NMSU 11-7, while the Aggies committed four errors.
- Megan Johnson (1-0), making her first start of the season, earned the win while allowing two runs on five hits, striking out four and walking one in 5 1/3 innings pitched. Karlie Keeney nailed down her first career save by pitching the final 1 2/3 innings of scoreless softball. - Felicia De La Torre (1-1) drew the loss, yielding five runs (four earned) on six hits, striking out two and walking one in 2 2/3 inning pitched before Laurali Patane pitched the last 4 1/3 innings. - Amber Bishop-Riley batted 2-for-4 with a homer, one RBI and one run scored, while Kara Canetto went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Savannah Channel tied her career high with three RBI, going 1-for-3 with a double. Emily Sweat batted 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
3-time ASUN Freshman of the Week Bella Smuda (Photo provided by John Sommers, Bellarmine Athletics)
After leading the Lady Flames in points, rebounds and blocked shots during two weekend victories at Bellarmine, Liberty center Bella Smuda has been named ASUN Conference Women s Basketball Freshman of the Week for the third time this season.
Smuda is the Lady Flames first three-time ASUN Freshman of the Week since Liberty joined the conference prior to the 2018-19 season, after her previous honors on Jan. 18 and Feb. 1. She also ties North Alabama s Sakyia White for the most ASUN Freshman of the Week honors by any player this season.
February 13, 2021 : By Office of Communications & Public Engagement/Liberty Athletics
Liberty University’s newest athletics facility opened for the first time on Saturday. The Lady Flames tennis team had the honor of playing the first-ever match inside the 48,000-square foot Liberty Indoor Tennis Center and christened it in grand fashion with a 7-0 sweep over Davidson before following it up with a 6-1 win over Towson.
The facility features six courts and seating for 100 fans. The building also houses team locker rooms, a team lounge, a laundry facility and a concessions area. The new center, coupled with the 12 outdoor courts, make up the Liberty Tennis Complex.
Rhodes scored two goals in Sunday s season opener at Davidson.
On the strength of three second half goals, Liberty defeated Davidson 3-1 on the road, Sunday morning in its spring 2021 season opener at Belk Turf Field.
The Lady Flames improve to 1-0 on the season and have won their last three season openers. The Wildcats drop to 0-1 on the year. This is the first time Liberty is competing in a spring field hockey season, after the fall season was postponed. The Lady Flames most recent game prior to Sunday was 464 days ago in the 2019 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship.
Liberty vs. Middle Tennessee - 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 13 Liberty vs. Pitt - 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 14 Liberty vs. Middle Tennessee - 10 a.m.
The Lady Flames posted three straight 40-win seasons from 2017 through 2019. Liberty won the 2017 NISC title and qualified for the 2019 NISC Championship Round. The 2018 Lady Flames made a run to the NCAA Columbia Regional final. Last year, Liberty faced the second-toughest schedule in NCAA Division I softball in 2020. Liberty faced 12 nationally-ranked opponents in the shortened 2020 season, posting a 10-13 overall record.
Liberty went 9-2 in their last 11 games of 2020, outhitting opponents .367-.206 during that span. The only two losses in Liberty s final 11 games of 2020 came at then-No. 1 Texas.