Aseweh's Goal Propels Liberty to Senior Night Win

October 15, 2011

Senior midfielder Phillip Aseweh scored the contest's lone goal, pushing the Liberty Flames to a 1-0 victory over the Presbyterian Blue Hose, Friday night in a Big South match on Senior Night at Osborne Stadium.

With the win, Liberty evens its record at 2-2 in Big South action and moves to 7-4 overall.  The victory snaps a three-game losing skid for the Flames.  Presbyterian falls to 2-2 in the conference and 2-10 overall. The Blue Hose have not beaten Liberty in each of the team's four meetings.

After an opening header by Byron Quinatoa went wide to open the game in the second minute, the Blue Hose forward forced a save by Liberty goalkeeper Scott Sutarik in the 10th minute with an attempt. The shot was the last of the half for visiting Presbyterian College.

In the 21st minute, the host Flames got on the scoreboard with what turned out to be the only goal of the evening. Fittingly, two seniors had a hand in the score on Senior Night. Senior midfielder Juan F. Niño jumped on a Presbyterian College clearing pass around midfield and pushed the ball forward drawing a defender.  He dropped the ball to forward Travis Joseph at the top of the 18-yard box. The junior tapped the ball into the left side of the box for an oncoming Aseweh, who ripped his fifth goal of the season into the open upper left corner of the net for a 1-0 host advantage.

In the 24th minute, Blue Hose goalkeeper Ethan Watson made a save on a shot by midfielder Zack Clark from 20 yards to keep Liberty from adding to its lead.
Off a free kick in the 43rd minute, defender Uriah Bentick came close to finding the far left post with a shot.  The 25-yard kick snaked to the outside of the post wide, sending the Flames to intermission up, 1-0.

During the half, Liberty outshot PC, 9-2.  Neither team had a corner kick during the opening 45 minutes of play.

The second half opened with Blue Hose forward Luke Ade sending a shot from 25 yards out on the right side of the field high over the net during the 57th minute. Four minutes later, a shot by teammate Johnny Mercado also sailed out.

After that shot, Liberty once again controlled possession, carrying play for most of the next 25 minutes.

During the 65th minute, Liberty forward Darren Amoo forced a save by Watson with a shot from the upper left corner of the 18-yard box, while Joseph slid a shot from the left side past the near post from six-yards out off a pass in transition from Niño during the 75th minute.

Two minutes later, Watson stopped a Liberty shot, as senior defender Chris Phillips headed an attempt towards the net off a free kick lofted to the far left post.

Keeping on the attack, a liner blasted by Amoo from 25-yards out during the 82nd minute hit the crossbar and rebounded back into the box, only to have the Flames whistled offsides.

Presbyterian College tried to rally during the closing minutes, but found shot attempts limited by the Liberty defense.  In the closing minute on a free kick from 25-yards out, the Blue Hose brought all 11 men up into the attacking area including goalkeeper Watson in search of the equalizer.  Off the kick, Watson lifted a shot high over the net, as the Flames closed out the 1-0 win.

Liberty outshot Presbyterian College, 15-5.  Corner kicks were even at one apiece.

Sutarik records a shutout in his college debut, making one save in the Liberty net. Watson stopped three shots on the evening in the Blue Hose net.

With an assist on Aseweh's goal, Niño moves into seventh on the program's career assist list with 17. The senior has had a point in each of the last three contests.

Before the game, seniors Amoo, Aseweh, Niño, Phillips, forward Timothy Bullock and midfielder Alex Verville were each recognized for their contributions to Liberty soccer.

The Flames will host the VMI Keydets in a Big South contest, Tuesday at Osborne Stadium.  Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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