RUSTON, La. – No. 6 seed Louisiana Tech produced one upset bid in the Conference USA Tournament, but the Bulldogs could not pull off another as they fell to No. 2 seed Liberty by a score of 4-0 on Friday night at a jam-packed Robert Mack Caruthers Field. 
 
LA Tech (6-11-3) and Liberty (15-2-1) were squaring off at the Mack for the second time six days.  In that regular season finale match, jumped on the Bulldogs by scoring four goals in the first 28 minutes.  
 
The beginning of Friday's semifinal matchup was much different as the two squads went toe-to-toe with one another.  LA Tech kept a powerful Liberty team from scoring early, holding the Flames to just one shot attempt in the first 24 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs got a pair of clean looks by Kalli Matlock and Avery Kyle, but both went wide of the post.  The Flames broke through though in the 25th minute, in large part due to forward Allison Hansford who earned her team a corner kick. 
 
Rachel DeBury took the free kick, finding the head of Saydie Holland who punched it in from close range.  That would be the only goal scored in the first half, securing a 1-0 advantage.  
 
Liberty came out swinging early in the second half with Hansford hitting the post with an open net less than a minute into the period.  But her teammates, DeRuby, gave them a 2-0 lead, outracing LA Tech's keeper Emma Duguay to the ball and scoring on the tough angle inside the far post. 
 
The Flames doubled up their score later in the half with Chloe Marr cleaning up a punched-out ball by Duguay in the 72nd minute and DeRuby converting a penalty kick in the 75th minute. 
 
LA Tech had opportunities here and there, including a shot off the crossbar by Josie Studer and a dangerous free kick from Sophie Fijneman, but both fifth-year seniors playing in their final game as Bulldogs could not connect. 
 
Liberty held a slim 13-11 shot advantage, but all four of its shots on goal scored.  The Bulldogs had six shots on goal.  The Flames also had a 6-3 corner kick edge.
 
No. 2 seed Liberty moves on to face No. 1 seed New Mexico State in the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 5 at Robert Mack Caruthers Field with kickoff set for 1 p.m. CT.

QUOTABLES
Head coach Steve Voltz

"At the end of the day, we played a good side that we made a couple of mistakes defensively and they punished us. We weren't able to punish them when we had opportunities. Today is really about these five young women here our seniors, Josie Studer, Laura Ogando, Lauren Egbuloniu, Sophie Fijneman, and Alma Cedefors. They played their hearts out literally blood, sweat, and everything for our program, so we appreciate them and going to miss them, but there couldn't be a better group to have worn this jersey for us."
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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