No.17-Ranked Liberty to Face JMU in 2025 Home Opener
LYNCHBURG, Va. – No. 17-ranked Liberty will face in-state foe James Madison in its home opener on Wednesday afternoon. Match time is 2 p.m. at the Liberty Field Hockey Field.
Liberty enters the game with a 1-0 record following a dramatic 4-3 road win at No. 5 Duke, last Friday in the season opener. JMU (1-1) split its pair of games on opening weekend. The Dukes edged Villanova 3-2 in their first game and fell 1-0 to Stanford on Sunday.
This will be the ninth all-time meeting between the two programs and the fourth straight year the teams have squared off. The series is even 4-4. Last year, the Dukes edged the Lady Flames 3-2 in Harrisonburg, Va.
Liberty enters the game with a 1-0 record following a dramatic 4-3 road win at No. 5 Duke, last Friday in the season opener. JMU (1-1) split its pair of games on opening weekend. The Dukes edged Villanova 3-2 in their first game and fell 1-0 to Stanford on Sunday.
This will be the ninth all-time meeting between the two programs and the fourth straight year the teams have squared off. The series is even 4-4. Last year, the Dukes edged the Lady Flames 3-2 in Harrisonburg, Va.
Lady Flames News and Notes
- Senior midfielder Lou Combrinck was named BIG EAST Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, sophomore defender Dara Semmartin was tabbed the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week.
- Combrinck and Semmartin both played pivotal roles in the Lady Flames’ 4-3 comeback win at No. 5 Duke, last Friday. Combrinck scored the game winner in the 56th minute and added two assists. Semmartin tallied a goal and assisted on Combrinck’s game-winning goal. No. 17 Liberty trailed 3-0 early in the second quarter before scoring four unanswered goals for the victory.
- Liberty’s triumph at No. 5 Duke was its highest-ranked win to open a season in program history and its sixth top-five victory all-time. Additionally, it marked the first time in program history Liberty overcame a three-goal deficit to win. The Lady Flames have won eight straight season openers dating back to the 2018 campaign.
- Liberty is 6-8 all-time in home openers. Last year, the Lady Flames fell 2-1 to No. 3 Virginia in the home opener.
- Liberty finished with a 6-3 home mark in 2024 and went 9-0 on its home turf in 2023.
- The Lady Flames and Dukes last met in Lynchburg in 2023 on what was Liberty’s Senior Day. Liberty prevailed 3-2 in that matchup. Each of the last three meetings between the two squads have been decided by one goal.
- Combrinck was named the Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and a unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST team selection. Joining Combrinck on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team was Semmartin.
- Combrinck, Semmartin, freshman Paris Gail-Isaacs, junior Maite Altamirano, freshman Julieta Tornati and freshman Diane Saint Martin were each named to the 2025 NFHCA Watchlist last week.
- Of Liberty’s 24-player roster, 12 are newcomers. The newcomers include: Paris-Gail Isaacs (D), Maite Altamirano (M), Mia Santana (M) Julieta Tornati (D), Diane Saint Martin (GK), Morena Giacosa (D), Zoé Gaillard (F), Luna Prieri (F – Longwood transfer), Caroline Richard (M), Autumn Albright (D), Isa Pardo (GK) and Liz Bustillo (M/F).
- Liberty is ranked 17th in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Preseason National Coaches Poll. The second poll of the year comes out a week from today (Sept. 9). Liberty’s strong 2025 schedule features six teams who appear in the 2025 preseason rankings, including: No. 2 North Carolina (Sept. 14, away), No. 3 Virginia (Oct. 14, home), No. 5 Duke (last Friday, 4-3 win), No. 9 Saint Joseph’s (Oct. 19, home), No. 11 UConn (Sept. 26, home) and No. 18 UAlbany (Sept. 12, home).
The duo of Lou Combrinck (OPOW) & @darasemmartin (DPOW) earned @BIGEAST Weekly Awards to start the year!??????
??: https://t.co/eZIKVaB9ej#EyesFixed #RiseWithUs pic.twitter.com/ueJsurtiCU
— Liberty Field Hockey (@LibertyFH) September 2, 2025
