Using a relentless, pressuring attack, the Liberty Flames defeated the Howard Bison, 4-0, Friday afternoon at Osborne Stadium.
Midfielder Phillip Aseweh netted two goals in the contest, while Timothy Bullock and Uriah Bentick each added a score for the Flames. After Liberty defeated No. 10 Virginia, 2-0, on Tuesday, the Flames have held their opponents without a goal for the second consecutive match.
Winners of four straight contests, Liberty moves to 4-1 on the season. The Flames have not allowed a goal over the last 211:07 of play. Howard drops to 1-4-1 on the year.
Host Liberty controlled play throughout the first half, firing off 12 shots in the period, while not allowing the Bison an attempt.
After their first corner kick in the fifth minute of play, the Flames launched a flurry of nine shots from the 18-yard area without a score. A high shot attempt by forward Darren Amoo at 5:37 started the Liberty barrage.
In the 15th minute, Flames midfielder Travis Joseph broke free off the left side of the penalty area for an attempt, which forced a diving save by Howard goalkeeper Eric Hamilton. Less than a minute later, Aseweh fed an pass into open space on the top left of the box for Amoo, only to see his shot saved off the goal line by Bison defender Kashmar Briscoe to keep the game scoreless.
Keeping the defensive pressure on, Liberty midfielder Juan F. Niño pounced on a Howard clearing attempt in the 33th minute and blasted a shot from 25 yards out, which hit the crossbar and ricocheted out of play.
Five minutes later, Bullock got the Flames on the scoreboard with his second goal of the season. Aseweh stepped in front of a Howard clearing attempt and quickly sent the ball ahead for Bullock. The senior forward ripped a shot into the lower right-hand corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead at 35:38.
The visiting Bison managed their only shot of the contest in the opening minutes of the second half. Midfielder Phillip Coker took a long pass into the box and pushed his shot wide right, when Liberty goalkeeper Josh Pacella came out of his net to force an attempt to the far post.
After the attempt in transition, the Flames' defense once again clamped down, as head coach Jeff Alder's squad continued to carry play.
Liberty added to its advantage in the 85th minute on a penalty kick. After Liberty's Joseph was pulled down in the 18-yard box by a Howard defender, Bentick converted the ensuing penalty kick for his first goal of the season and a 2-0 host advantage.
Two minutes later, the Flames tallied again. Midfielder Alex Verville came free for a shot from the top right corner of the box, which Hamilton blocked away from the Howard goal. The rebound came free for Aseweh, who ripped a shot into the open net for a 3-0 Liberty lead.
In the 89th minute, Aseweh converted a penalty kick after a Bison foul in the 18-yard box for his third goal of the year and the final margin of 4-0.
Liberty outshot Howard, 27-1, and held a 15-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Pacella did not record a save in the Liberty net, while Hamilton made four stops for Howard.
Aseweh posted five points in a game for the first time since the senior tallied seven in a 10-1 win over Concord on Sept. 1, 2009. In addition with one assist, Aseweh moves into seventh place on the program's career assist list with 16.
With his goal, senior Bullock has now scored points in each of Liberty's four victories this season. The forward scored a goal in a win over Longwood and picked up assists in wins at American and Virginia.
Liberty continues a three-game homestand, Tuesday night. The Flames will welcome the Southern Virginia Knights to Osborne Stadium. Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m.