Lynchburg Weekly Sports Blog – University of Lynchburg

Welcome to the Lynchburg Sports Weekly Blog, where we will give updates recapping past events and getting you ready for the upcoming slate of games on the Hornets’ schedule. We’ll get this blog out to you once a week, usually every Thursday (this week on Friday!), and keep you in the loop on all things Lynchburg athletics. 

The Hornets had a packed weekend of home events which the Lynchburg fandom showed out for. The volleyball squad hosted the Hill City classic, while both soccer teams welcomed schools to the home turf of Shellenberger Field. Field hockey and women’s tennis both hit the road this past weekend for some competitions. Plenty of action last week and much more to come this week. Many of the Hornets’ programs are set to travel for contests in the near future, including a couple of cross country meets and equestrian’s first competition of the year. 

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Coming in at No. 12 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll rankings, the Lynchburg field hockey team went up north to Pennsylvania this past weekend for a couple of top-25 affairs. The squad split the weekend after taking down No. 18 Ursinus on Saturday in a shootout, 5-4, and falling to No. 22 Bryn Mawr on Sunday, 4-1. Freshman forward Maddie Schuchter bagged a hat-trick and added an assist against the Bears, showing a bright future ahead for the young attacker. The team has a brief break in the schedule before its next outing. The Hornets will head back up to Pennsylvania from Saturday, September 28 through Sunday, September 29 to take on No. 9 York and Susquehanna. The matchup against York should be fiery, as the Hornets took down the Spartans twice last season, including a double-overtime victory in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Following the first Code Red game of the 2024-25 year, the Hill City Classic took place for the Lynchburg women’s volleyball team this past weekend. The Hornets competed against William Peace, LaGrange, Greensboro and NC Wesleyan and came away with an even 2-2 record. The squad grabbed 3-1 wins against LaGrange and NC Wesleyan but were unable to get it done against William Peace and Greensboro. Following that, the Hornets had their first road conference test against a strong Bridgewater team. Lynchburg held with the Eagles for most of the contest, even dominating set two with a commanding 25-9 set-win, but ultimately fell in four sets. The Hornets volleyball crew has shown much promise for what is to come this season. Two more ODAC outings are next up on the slate for volleyball, traveling to Winchester, Va. for a match against Shenandoah on Saturday, September 21 before hosting Randolph on Wednesday, September 25. 

In its first home matchup of the season, the Lynchburg men’s soccer team nabbed its first victory of the 2024 campaign against William Peace on Thursday, September 12 in a commanding 3-0 finish. The Hornets came out hot and scored twice in the first 3:35 of action. Freshman forward Sean DeLorenzo bagged his first collegiate goal of his career in the 28th minute to add a third goal to the board and close out scoring in the contest. Fifth year midfielder Zach Whelan dished out his second assist of the season on DeLorenzo’s goal. Whelan averages 0.5 assists per game so far in the early goings, which ranks second in the ODAC. The squad looks to carry the momentum into its second home outing of the season when it squares up against Catholic on Shellenberger Field this Saturday, September 21 at 2 p.m. The men’s soccer team is the sole program to compete at home this weekend, so be sure to come out and support the crew in what is sure to be a fun matchup.

The Lynchburg women’s soccer team followed up on the men’s soccer team’s performance with a decisive 3-0 triumph against Marymount in the squad’s first home match of the season. While the defense was stout and allowed just four shots all game, the offense was the most impressive aspect of the team in the victory, especially in the second half. All three of the Hornets’ goals were scored after the halftime intermission. Morgan Oliver, Lauren Orner and Catey Paulette each buried shots past the keeper in the affair. This season, Orner and Madelyn Boyce pace the Lynchburg offense with two goals a piece. The Hornets have a week off before their next competition against Emory at a neutral site in Charlotte, N.C. on Sunday, September 22. Lynchburg follows that up with a contest at Mary Washington on Wednesday, September 25 before rolling into ODAC play for the remainder of the season.

The Lynchburg cross country team has a split-squad weekend ahead of them. Today, members of the men’s and women’s teams will compete in the Adidas XC Challenge in Cary, N.C. at WakeMed Soccer Park, a predominately gravel course. The men race in the 6k at 5:15 p.m. and the women race in the 5k at 5:55 p.m. Racers on the men’s squad will take a 10-hour trip to Terre Haute, Ind. for the John McNichols Invite, hosted by Indiana State University. The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course that the crew will race on this weekend gives the team a course preview for what is to come in the DIII NCAA National Championships. The competition is a great opportunity for the team to race against high-level competitors, including many schools from the NCAA DI level. The fifth-ranked men’s and women’s teams enter their first true test of the season this weekend, looking to show up and show out.

The Lynchburg women’s tennis team kicked off its fall season at the Randolph Invite, competing against players from Shenandoah, Bridgewater, and Randolph. In doubles, they opened with a strong 2-1 record, highlighted by wins from junior Ashley Hair and freshman Kayla Kosiorek, as well as the freshman duo of Madison Sked and Harper Dodd. In the next hour of competition, the Hornets went an even 2-2 in doubles action. In singles, Lynchburg had a solid start, winning three out of four matches in the first round. The final singles round saw the Hornets finish up with a 1-3 record. Overall, Lynchburg concluded the invitational with a solid 8-7 record, earning them third. Next up for the women’s tennis squad is the ITA Regional, beginning on Saturday, September 21. It is to be determined which players from the Hornets will make an appearance, so keep an eye out for updates on that.

The three-time defending NCEA champion Lynchburg equestrian team earned first overall in single discipline for the NCEA preseason rankings. The players are eager and ready to debut their talents this season for the first time this weekend. The Hornets are traveling up to Westerville, Ohio for the IHSA Tournament of Champions, which will take place on Saturday, September 21 and start at 9 a.m. After this weekend, Lynchburg’s equestrian squad will host its first dual meets of the season when it welcomes the College of Charleston to Rustburg, Va. on Friday, September 27 and Centenary University on Saturday, September 28. After a prolific performance last season, the Hornets hope to carry the same energy to begin this campaign. Some key returners to the squad this year include Fallyn Belcastro, Emma Schweizer, and Lucy Metzler. A couple of accolades they earned last season include 2023 ODAC Rider of the Year for Belcastro and 2023 NCEA All-Championship Team for Fences for Schweizer. 

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–LYN–