[PAmedic]

2 hard fought losses for the ladies' team:

#20 Wake Forest Downs Liberty in First Game of Virginia Tech Tournament

September 8, 2006
Blacksburg, Va.

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons used two goals in each half to defeat the Liberty Lady Flames, 4-0, Friday evening at the Virginia Tech Tournament.

With the setback, Liberty drops to 2-3 on the season, while nationally-ranked Wake Forest remains undefeated with a 4-0 mark.

The Demon Deacons took the lead early in the match. Less than four minutes into the contest, a scramble in the box ensued off a corner kick that forward Elizabeth Remy put into the net for a 1-0 lead.

The contest settled into back-and-forth play for the next 35 minutes with Lady Flame forward Ashley Braam (Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.) and defender Tayna Payne (Jr., Prescott, Ariz.) each getting off a shot during the time span.

Just before intermission, Wake Forest added to its lead as Sarah Winslow gather up a loose ball and dribbled up field, netting the Deacons’ second tally of the evening at the 41:50 mark.

After halftime, neither team was able to connect for a marker until the 76th minute as Wake Forest’s Kaley Fountain lofted a goal in from 15 yards out to extend the Deacons’ advantage.

Later, Remy would find Megan Upchurch with a pass across the goalmouth which Upchurch put in to close out the scoring.

On the evening, Wake Forest held a 22-7 edge in shots and an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Senior Katherine Neff (Guelph, Ontario) and freshman Michelle Rich (Friendswood, Texas) split time in the Liberty net as each keeper played a half. In the first half, Neff made three saves, while Rich played the entire second half, making four. Laura Morse and Kaitlyn Doe each played a half in the Wake Forest net as well with each making a save.

Liberty returns to Blacksburg, Va. on Sunday for their second game in the Virginia Tech Tournament. Sunday the Lady Flames square off the host Hokies. Match time is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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Lady Flames Fall to Host Hokies in Final Game of Virginia Tech Tournament

September 10, 2006
Blacksburg, Va.

The Virginia Tech Hokies netted two early goals and then held off Liberty the rest of the way en route to a 2-0 victory over the Lady Flames, Sunday afternoon, in the final contest of the Virginia Tech Tournament.

With the setback, Liberty drops to 2-4, while Virginia Tech moves to 4-1-1 on the season.

Pressuring the Liberty goal from the start of the contest, the Hokies put four shots on the Lady Flames’ net in the first four minutes of play. One of the shots off the crossbar, while two were saved by the Liberty keeper Katherine Neff (Sr., Guelph, Ont.) and the third was blocked down in front by a Lady Flames’ defender.

Turned away by the Liberty defense earlier, Virginia Tech broke through less than 10 minutes later. Forward Julian Johnson crossed the ball across the goalmouth, where Laurie Puglisi was waiting in traffic. After settling the ball, the forward managed to get past the traffic and put the ball into the net for a 1-0 Hokie lead.

Five minutes later, the Hokies extended their advantage as defender MaryElizabeth Newton lofted a cross which forward Emily Jukich headed into the net for her sixth goal of the season and a 2-0 advantage.

Both teams traded possession and shots for the remainder of the half with neither team able to convert.

In the first 45 minutes, Lady Flames' keeper Neff made five saves, while Virginia Tech's Mallory Soldner had one save.

In the second half, the Hokies kept the pressure on the Liberty defense as it forced keeper Michelle Rich (Fr., Friendswood, Texas), who continued the Lady Flames routine of playing the second half, to make five saves. Virginia Tech notched 10 shots and took seven corner kicks in the final stanza, while allowing Liberty two shots and four corners in the half.

For the afternoon, the Hokies out shot the Lady Flames, 21-7, and held the advantage in corners with 11-4. Forward Rachel Hetrick (Jr., Grantville, Pa.) led Liberty with two shots.

After opening the season with six road contests, the Lady Flames return home for their first home and Big South Conference match as they host Charleston Southern on Saturday afternoon. Match time is scheduled for 2 p.m.