Liberty’s fourth-quarter lead slips away in overtime loss to Miami — September 19, 2026

Liberty led by two goals entering the fourth quarter and briefly regained the lead late, but Miami (Ohio) completed its comeback with a 5–4 overtime victory on Sept. 19 in Lynchburg. Malena Sabez scored the final two goals, including the overtime winner, to finish with a hat trick.

The No. 13 Lady Flames fell to 4–3, the same record Miami held after the victory. Luna Prieri, Josefina Tomasi, Clarisa Iudicello and Pia Iapichino scored for Liberty. The official recap describes a closing stretch in which the lead changed quickly and a late yellow card left Liberty short-handed entering overtime.

Prieri and Tomasi scored a minute apart in the first quarter. After Toto Scarlatti answered, Iudicello restored Liberty’s two-goal margin before halftime. A scoreless third quarter kept the advantage at 3–1, but Miami’s pressure was building.

The official box score shows the RedHawks outshot Liberty 10–0 in that third period and earned six corners without allowing one. The goals followed in the fourth. Sabez scored at 52:01 and Scarlatti tied the game at 53:32.

Iapichino’s finish from a Paris-Gail Isaacs assist put Liberty back ahead just 23 seconds later. Sabez equalized at 56:04, then ended the game at 62:48.

Miami finished with advantages of 24–13 in shots and 14–2 in penalty corners. Liberty’s efficient early finishing had established control of the scoreboard, but the Lady Flames could not halt the RedHawks’ late conversion of their chances. The overtime goal came on Miami’s only shot of the extra period, leaving Liberty to regroup before facing Appalachian State the next day.