Box Score
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Longwood University field hockey team dropped a 2-0 decision to Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference (NorPac) opponent Liberty University (10-5) on Tuesday afternoon in Lynchburg in the squad's final road game of the 2012 regular season. Junior
Stacey de Grandhomme|Cape Town, South Africa (Table View) and sophomore
Jessica Diaz|Chesapeake (Western Branch) led the Lancers (4-12) with four shots apiece in the outing. Longwood returns to action on Saturday, October 20 when it hosts league foe Davidson College at 12 p.m. in the team's first of three-straight home games to close out the season.
In addition to de Grandhomme and Diaz, four other Lancers tallied at least one shot in the outing. Freshman
Kim Ruiter|Huizen, The Netherlands (Luzac College) notched two shots, including one on goal, while senior
Christina Verhulst|Yorktown (Grafton), freshman
Nicole Deckard|Selinsgrove, Pa. (Selinsgrove Area) and freshman
Jennifer Burris|Virginia Beach (Kempsville) each recorded one shot on the day. Freshman goalkeeper
Meg Mitchell|Allentown, Pa. (Emmaus) registered three saves in the complete-game performance.
The squads battled back and forth in the first 35 minutes of play, with the Lancers taking a 7-3 shot advantage, but neither side could find the back of the cage, sending the teams into the break knotted at 0-0. Coming out of halftime, the Flames' offense went on the attack, as Jordan Richardson dished a well-played pass across the front of the cage to teammate Sarah Gipe for the first goal of the match and the eventual game-winner less than eight minutes into the second half.
The Flames would add an insurance goal with just over six minutes remaining in the contest. Abbey Basom sent a hard shot towards the cage that Hannah Doherty deflected past Mitchell to seal the 2-0 victory for Liberty.
Longwood outshot Liberty, 13-8, in the game, while both squads forced six penalty corners. Tuesday match marked the third meeting ever between Longwood and Liberty in the sport of field hockey, and the second this season. The Lancers, who defeated the Flames, 3-1, in their first showdown this season, hold a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series.
