LATE RALLY FALLS INCHES SHORT AS HIGHLANDERS EDGED BY LIBERTY ON SENIOR DAY

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – Radford field hockey tried to send its seniors off with a bang, but two late defensive saves and a ball off the post prevented the tying goal and allowed Liberty to hold on and defeat the Highlanders, 2-1 on an overcast Saturday afternoon at RU Hockey Field.

Prior to the match, Radford (4-10, 2-2 NorPac) recognized its outgoing graduating class consisted of junior Jennifer Hedrick and seniors Sidney Encarnacion and Alayna Versage. With a first half defensive save, Versage tied the single-season school record with her eighth of the season. She currently ranks second in the NCAA in that category.

Following Natalie Barr's game-winner for the Lady Flames (8-4, 3-0) with 7:55 on the clock, the Highlanders generated three corners in the final three minutes and got its money's worth in opportunities and came within inches of scoring the equalizer.

On the second corner, sophomore Marianna Parker's deflection hit the keeper's pads and then clanged off the post right to Versage, whose rebound attempted was cleared off the line by Liberty's Hannah Jones.

With 1:34 on the clock, the Highlanders drew the final corner of the match. After the ball bounced around, junior Kellen Keys had a chance with 33 seconds left, but Barr turned away Key's flick and preserved Liberty's lead.

Radford ended the contest with a 6-5 advantage in corners, while Liberty held a 11-7 edge in shots.

The teams went into halftime deadlocked at 1-1. Parker gave Radford a 1-0 lead on the Highlanders' first shot of the match in the 11^th minute. On a nice individual effort, the Highlanders' leading goal scorer entered the circle and blasted a shot into the far boards for her sixth goal of the season.

The Lady Flames evened the contest a little over four minutes later when Erin Dombach finished with a backhand during a scrum in front of the cage at 14:32.

Liberty outshot Radford, 7-3 and held a 3-2 advantage in corners. Encarnacion made three saves of her four saves and Versage recorded her defensive save during a corner to keep the Lady Flames from taking the lead before the break.

All three of Liberty's saves came in the final push by the Highlanders. To go along with Barr's defensive save, keeper Anne Jefferis made her her only stop of the night right before Jones' defensive stop on Versage's rebound.

Radford begins its season-ending five game road swing on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at No. 14 Wake Forest. The final non-conference match of the season begins at 6:30 p.m.

Print Friendly Version