NORFOLK, Va. – Connor Carson and Jessica Liberty scored four goals apiece as Old Dominion pulled away from Longwood in the second half on the way to a 19-7 win Sunday afternoon at LR Hill Complex.
 
Carson and Liberty scored twice each in the first half but did the bulk of their damage by scoring four straight goals during a 7-0 run in the second half. After Old Dominion (3-0) scored three straight goals out of the break, Liberty hit back-to-back shots in less than a minute before Carson followed with two more scores to push the Monarch lead to 14-5.
 
That second-half run, which padded Old Dominion's three-goal halftime lead, came against a Longwood (0-3) defense that lost one of its top defenders early just minutes into the game. Junior Brittany Haun, who had started all three games this season, fell to the turf just five minutes after the opening draw and did not return. Her status for Wednesday's home game versus Richmond is uncertain.
 
Despite the hole Haun's absence left on the defensive end, however, Longwood head coach Elaine Jones said her team still had enough to come away with a victory.
 
"It was a winnable game even though we were a bit shorthanded," Jones said. "Unfortunately, Old Dominion grabbed the momentum early in the second half and we just weren't able to get it back. Understanding the ebbs and flows of a game and how we need to weather the low times and ride the high times is one of the things we'll continue to work on as the season progresses."
 
Longwood junior Sarah Butler broke up Old Dominion's seven-goal streak with her second score of the game and team-leading fifth of the season, but it did little to sway the Monarch's momentum. Old Dominion fired right back 11 seconds later with a goal from Mary Margaret McCaleb and kept Longwood off the board for the next 14-plus minutes. It wasn't until Kelsi Carr fired one in on a pass from Katie McHugh that Longwood snapped the scoreless streak, but Christina Rea provided a response for Old Dominion inside the final minute to keep the final margin at 12 goals.
 
Butler finished with a team-high four points, adding a pair of assists to her multi-goal effort. The Melbourne, Australia, native and Big South Preseason All-Conference Team selection leads Longwood in goals, assists and points through the first three games.
 
The Lancers will get a shot at their first win Wednesday when Richmond comes to the Longwood Athletics Complex for 4 p.m. matchup.

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