VMI rally falls short at Liberty
Stan Okoye returned from injury to post 21 points and 12 rebounds, but a second half rally by VMI fell short in the waning moments as the Liberty Flames defeated the Keydets, 78-69, in Big South basketball action Tuesday night in Lynchburg, Va.
The Keydets (12-14, 7-9 Big South) trailed by as many as 17 in the opening half, but VMI fought its way back after halftime. Down by 15 at intermission, and with 17:51 to play, the Keydets drew within single digits with 15:17 remaining after a Jordan Weethee three-pointer. From there, the lead was gradually cut down, piece by piece, until a thunderous Okoye dunk with 3:04 remaining made it a 69-66 game. Continue reading “VMI rally falls short at Liberty” »
VMI clamps down on Liberty, 71-57
Stan Okoye had 18 points, 16 in the second half, and the VMI Keydets held the Liberty Flames to the lowest point total for an opponent in over three years as VMI defeated Liberty, 71-57, in Big South basketball action Tuesday night at Cameron Hall.
Okoye did not start Tuesday’s contest, but his VMI (8-9, 3-4 Big South) teammates picked him up with a strong defensive effort, holding Liberty (5-13, 0-6) to just 24 points in the first half.
The junior’s 16 second half points fueled his team’s 55.2% shooting (16 for 29) in that period, and the strong defensive effort continued as well, as the Keydets held the Flames’ Jesse Sanders, last year’s Big South Player of the Year, to a season-low three points and season-low equaling three assists en route to pulling away for the win. Continue reading “VMI clamps down on Liberty, 71-57” »
Liberty women top Radford
Liberty started its New Year’s Eve celebration a few hours early by opening its Big South Conference schedule with a hard-fought 76-68 win at Radford Saturday afternoon. The Lady Flames used a 16-0 run early in the second half to break open a close game, and held off several rally attempts by the Highlanders down the stretch at the Dedmon Center.
The Lady Flames, who leveled their overall record at 6-6, start the Big South schedule at 1-0 for the 11th time in the last 12 years. Liberty, which put four players in double figures in the scoring column, shot a season-best 60.5 percent (26-of-43) from the field for the contest.
Radford drops to 6-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play, despite forcing 39 Liberty turnovers and turning the miscues into 42 points. It was the fifth straight season the Lady Flames have posted a win inside the Dedmon Center. Continue reading “Liberty women top Radford” »
No. 6 UVa. women blast Liberty
The No. 6 Virginia women’s soccer team had its biggest offensive explosion in six years as it downed Liberty 9-1 Friday night in front of 1,183 fans at Klöckner Stadium. Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.) led the Cavalier attack, posting Virginia’s first hat trick in three seasons.
“This was a good result for us,” said head coach Steve Swanson. “Any time we play an in-state opponent, we know we are going to get their best shot. We have known that we have a lot of players who can score, and that was certainly evident on the box score tonight. That kind of scoring distributionis something we have always stressed. We have shown that already this season and hopefully that continues.”
Miller led a group of seven different goal scorers on thenight. In addition, nine different Cavaliers recorded an assist, led by Shasta Fisher’s (Saugus, Calif.) first two career assists.
The Cavaliers (3-0-0) took the lead in the 17th minute as Morgan Brian (St. Simons Island, Ga.) buried a shot from the top of the 18-yard box. Olivia Brannon (Troy, Mich.) scored her first career goal in the 23rd minute as she headed home a Molly Menchel (Alexandria, Va.) corner kick. Miller scoredher first goal of the evening in the 38th minute as she dribbled through numerous defenders before slotting home a shot from 10 yards out. Emily Perrin (Charlottesville, Va.) scored her first career goal when she headed in a Fisher cross in the 41st minute. Erica Hollenberg (Fairfax Station, Va.) closed out the first half scoring in the 43rd minute when she knocked in a cross from Danielle Colaprico (Freehold, N.J.) to give Virginia a 5-0 lead at the break.
Virginia extended the lead to 6-0 in the 48th minute as Millerblasted in her second goal of the night. She completed her hat trick in the 53rd minute, off a cross from Lauren Alwine (Elizabethtown, Pa.). Amber Fry (Northfield, Ill.) recorded her first goal of the season in the 71st minute as she scored off a give-and-go with Gloria Douglas (Fayetteville, N.C.). Douglas scored Virginia’s final goal of the night in the 79th minute as she found the back of the net from the top of the 18-yard box. Liberty (0-1-0) scored its goal in the 88th minute as Aimee Luurtsema scored on a breakaway after a through ball from Megan Warner.
Miller recorded the 11th hat trick in school history, the first since Sinead Farrelly accomplished the feat at Clemson in 2008. She also tied school records with three goals and seven points in a game.
The Cavaliers’ nine goals were their most since a 9-0 win over Richmond in 2005.
Overall Virginia outshot Liberty 24-6, and had a 10-0 cornerkick edge. Chantel Jones (Midlothian, Va.) made two saves for the Cavaliers, while Karen Blocker made four saves for the Flames.
A look at NCAA baseball tourney prospects for local teams
Report by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
#1 UVa. and #15 Virginia Tech are looking good, Liberty is on the bubble, and JMU, VCU and VMI are in need of wins in their conference tournaments. That’s the quick and dirty on the postseason hopes for the top contenders in D1 college baseball in Virginia. Continue reading “A look at NCAA baseball tourney prospects for local teams” »
One and done: Local women’s teams out of NCAAs
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Monica Wright, Dawn Evans and Devon Brown did their parts, but UVa., JMU and Liberty each fell short in their first-round NCAA Tournament games over the weekend.
Wright had 34 points and nine rebounds in her final game as a Cavalier, which saw fifth-seeded Virginia fall 69-67 to 12th-seeded Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday. Continue reading “One and done: Local women’s teams out of NCAAs” »
Brown jumper sends Liberty to NCAA Tournament
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
A Devon Brown jumper with 4.2 seconds left sent Liberty to the NCAA Tournament with a 68-66 win over Gardner-Webb in the championship game of the Big South Tournament on Sunday.
Brown, a 2008 Waynesboro High School grad, led all players with 24 points and was named the Big South Tournament most valuable player. The Big South title is the third in a row for Liberty, which is 27-5 in 2009-2010.
Gardner-Webb, the Big South regular-season champion, fell to 28-4 with the loss, which ended a 16-game winning streak. Continue reading “Brown jumper sends Liberty to NCAA Tournament” »
Another former ‘Skins assistant added to UVa. staff
Staff Report
UVa. sports: www.virginiasports.com
Virginia head football coach Mike London has announced that Scott Wachenheim has joined the Cavalier football coaching staff. He becomes the ninth member of London’s staff. He will coach the tight ends position. Wachenheim brings 21 years of collegiate coaching to UVa after spending the 2009 campaign as the tight ends coach with the Washington Redskins.
“I had met and known about Scott for the last couple of years when he was on Danny Rocco’s staff at Liberty,” said London. “He has a very good background as the tight ends coach with the Redskins and has been an offensive coordinator and has coached the offensive line. It was important for me to get another coach on our staff who could lend their expertise to the run game and the passing game. I think Scott and (graduate assistant coach) Ron Mattes will work well together. Together they will add up to one really big benefit. I am excited about what Scott brings. This is the last of the positions to fill and, if you look at it from top to bottom, these are good men of character, good coaches and good teachers.” Continue reading “Another former ‘Skins assistant added to UVa. staff” »
Liberty women take down Highlanders
Staff Report
Liberty U. sports: www.libertyflames.com
Liberty broke open a tight game with an 11-2 run to close the first half of Monday evening’s game at Radford. The Lady Flames maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way, claiming a share of first place in the Big South standings with a 63-45 triumph at the Dedmon Center.
2008 Waynesboro High School graduate Devon Brown led three Liberty players in double figures with 20 points, helping the Lady Flames post their ninth straight victory. Liberty is now 16-4 overall and 7-1 in the Big South, putting the Lady Flames in a tie with Gardner-Webb atop the conference ledger.
Radford, which had won four of its last five home games, shot only 29.4 percent on the evening. The Highlanders fall to 5-14 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
Brown scores 29 to lead Liberty
Staff Report
Liberty U. sports: www.libertyflames.com
The weather outside the Millis Center Saturday afternoon was cold and snowy, but Liberty remained hot, extending its winning streak to eight. Devon Brown and Avery Warley both posted career-high point totals during the Lady Flames’ come-from-behind 75-62 win over Big South co-leader High Point.
Brown, a 2008 Waynesboro High School graduate, totaled 29 points and 11 rebounds, while reigning Big South Player of the Week Warley added 26 points and 14 boards. Their efforts helped Liberty improve to 15-4 overall and 6-1 in the Big South.
The Lady Flames now sit in second place in the conference standings, one-half game behind Big South leader Gardner-Webb. Continue reading “Brown scores 29 to lead Liberty” »
Liberty outmuscles Keydets
Staff Report
VMI sports: www.vmikeydets.com
The Liberty Flames used a 66-32 advantage in points in the paint and a 53-25 rebounding margin to prevail, 91-73, over the visiting VMI Keydets Thursday night in a Big South contest played at the Vines Center in Lynchburg, Va.
Despite a 27-12 halftime rebounding edge, the homestanding Flames’ lead was just 42-37 at the intermission, but Liberty came out of the locker room with a 9-2 run to open the second half and take a 51-39 advantage with 17:05 to play.
VMI eventually rallied to climb back within nine with three minutes to play, but the Flames went on a 9-0 run to put the game away. Continue reading “Liberty outmuscles Keydets” »
Brown double-double fuels Liberty comeback win
Staff Report
Liberty U. sports: www.libertyflames.com
Liberty defeated Coastal Carolina for the 32nd consecutive time Monday evening at Kimbel Arena, but it wasn’t easy. The Lady Flames trailed by 10 points in the second half, but used a 24-2 game-closing run to pull out a 57-38 road win over the Chanticleers.
The Lady Flames improved to 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the Big South with their seventh consecutive win. Avery Warley and 2008 Waynesboro High School graduate Devon Brown both notched double-doubles, keying Liberty’s furious comeback.
Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina lost for the first time in nine home games, dropping to 12-6 overall and 3-3 in conference action. The Chanticleers owned a 28-18 lead with 17:06 left, but were outscored 39-10 the rest of the way.
Brown scored nine points in an 18-0 Liberty run that gave the Flames a 51-36 lead with 1:41 to go.
Brown finished with a team-high 17 points and 10 rebounds to record her fifth double-double of the year. Brown also paced all players with four steals.
