LYNCHBURG, Va. - University of Southern Indiana dropped its Ohio Valley Conference opener 6-1 to Liberty University Saturday afternoon in Lynchburg, Virginia.
 
The Screaming Eagles struggled early but came alive late, as freshman midfielder Tony Murphy put the team on the board in the 74th minute. Murphy's goal broke the team's scoreless streak that started at the 83:37 mark against Indiana University Indianapolis on September 6.
 
The Flames came out of the gate firing, scoring four goals in the first half. Including a first-half hat trick from Liberty senior Zach Lifferth, scoring the first three goals of the match at 6:03, 20:21, and 28:07.
 
Liberty added its fourth goal in the 34th minute, continuing the offensive barrage of the first half. The Eagles finished the first 45 trailing 13-0 in shots and 9-0 in shots on goal. The Liberty forced five first-half corner kicks compared to USI's one.
 
In the second half, the Eagles improved on both sides of the ball despite Liberty scoring in the 70th minute. USI's offense fought back late in the game, as Murphy snuck one past the goalkeeper at 73:30 for the teams lone goal. Liberty's final push came in the 81st minute scoring their sixth goal, giving them a five goal lead that would hold through the end of the match.
 
For the game, the Eagles tallied five shots, three on goal, compared to Liberty's 27 shots with 16 on goal. Freshman defender Joaquin d'Escoto and freshman forward Edin Cvorovic each recorded a shot on goal, while freshman goalkeeper Jacob English grabbed a season high 10 saves.
 
USI continues its OVC campaign on Thursday as the team hosts Houston Christian University at Strassweg Field. Kickoff for the match is scheduled for 7 p.m. The match can also be viewed with an ESPN+ subscription.