Senior long-stick midfielder Ben Chun clears the ball along the Flames' sidelines in the April 4 Midnight Mayhem victory over Tennessee at the Liberty Lacrosse Stadium. (Photo by Ethan Smith)
Flames to face off against Tigers in Saturday’s ALC semifinals at City Stadium
4/25/2025 11:19:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Liberty’s men’s lacrosse team will battle Clemson at 3 p.m. with a potential ALC Championship final matchup against the Tennessee-JMU winner on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Ranked No. 1 in MCLA Division I for a second week in a row, Liberty University's men's lacrosse team is in excellent position to challenge for a third ALC Championship in five seasons this Saturday and Sunday at Lynchburg's City Stadium.
That is especially true after the only other team to take the tournament title — Virginia Tech, which captured back-to-back crowns in 2022 and 2023 — was eliminated by Clemson in the quarterfinal round this past Friday in Blacksburg, Va.
"That was surprising, to say the least, to not have Virginia Tech at the ALC tournament this weekend," Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said, noting that was the only team to defeat the Flames this season, in the Feb. 8 season opener at the Liberty Lacrosse Fields. "There is definitely both a sense of relief and a little disappointment not to get another shot at Virginia Tech and a chance at redemption."
The Hokies (9-6), who slipped three spots to No. 15 in this week's coaches' poll, rallied from a 5-2 halftime deficit to tie Clemson (9-6) at 10 after three quarters before the Tigers outscored them, 4-2, in the fourth quarter for a 14-12 triumph.
"Clemson had lost to Virginia Tech just a couple weeks ago, so to see that turnaround was not expected, but it is good for the ALC as a whole," McQuillan said, noting the same is true in the North Region, where Liberty has been a staple as the No. 1 seed for the playoffs, with the No. 2 seed different every season. "JMU made it this year, and now, since the ALC tournament started in 2021, we have had representation from Pittsburgh, JMU, West Virginia, and Temple. Only Kentucky, which is brand new to the ALC North, hasn't made the playoffs yet."
The Flames, who defeated Virginia Tech and Tennessee en route to last season's ALC tournament, would face the winner of Saturday's 5:30 p.m. semifinal between JMU and Tennessee in Sunday's 3 p.m. final.
Liberty is looking to gain momentum and solidify the No. 1 seed going into the May 5-10 MCLA National Championships in Round Rock, Texas. The team will fly out on Saturday, May 2, and compete in their first-round game in the 16-team tournament on May 5.
"We are hopefully going to use this weekend as a springboard into the MCLA tournament," McQuillan said. "We don't want to go in limping, but with a full head of steam, so to be able to repeat as ALC champs would be an awesome position to be in, and it would give us a ton of confidence going into what will be a very competitive national tournament."
The Flames did not meet Clemson this season, but the former SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference rival (ranked 23rd in the nation) ousted Liberty in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament before falling to Virginia Tech in the final.
"Clemson showed up and played its way into the tournament semifinals and will have an opportunity to try to capitalize on playing us, to bolster their national tournament resumé by getting a win against the No. 1 team in the country," McQuillan said. "That would skyrocket their opportunity to get an at-large tournament berth."
He said the Tigers are a dangerous team, especially coming off the upset of the Hokies.
"They're a very young team with a lot of new guys, after last year going through a bit of a rebuild," McQuillan said. "They have a lot of really good athletic players and have obviously grown, and the win over Virginia Tech shows they've come into an identity of their own."
For the Flames to survive and advance to the championship game for a chance to defend their title, they will have to establish control of the tempo and manage the game from start to finish.
"We are going to have to focus on our systems and playing our style of lacrosse," McQuillan said. "If we turn it into a track meet, it's a game that could easily slip away from us. We've got to win this as a team. If we're successful in doing what we want to do on the field, then I don't think there's a team that can stand in our way."
Saturday's Division I semifinals will follow Division II matchups between Wake Forest and UNC Wilmington at 10 a.m. and UNC Charlotte and Virginia Tech at 12:30 p.m. Also on Saturday at City Stadium, Rush Homes will be showcasing and raffling off its "Parade of Playhouses."
"It is an opportunity for local outreach and an opportunity to support a local organization to provide housing for low-income families in the Lynchburg area," McQuillan said, noting his wife, Lauren McQuillan, is serving as tournament director and incorporating the two causes. "Rush Homes is an organization that does a lot of good work. We want to try to invest in Lynchburg, and for those people that want to invest in a local organization, we may be able to convert some into lacrosse fans."
The Flames and Hokies will have an opportunity to encourage and recruit future players when they host a combined clinic for youth at City Stadium on Friday from 5:30-7 p.m.
"This is our first year doing it, so we will be prepared for one to one hundred kids," McQuillan said. "We are hoping it has success, as there is a lot of local youth lacrosse going on that weekend and we are inviting them out to Saturday's and Sunday's games. Overall, we want to build on what we did last year. It will be fun for the kids and there will be food trucks, concessions, and youth lacrosse players participating in halftime activities."
McQuillan is hopeful that the Flames can capitalize on the near-home-field advantage of playing in their hometown.
"We love we get to play these games in Lynchburg, not on Liberty's campus, but within close proximity to a home game," he said. "It is a great venue and opportunity, with six games on Saturday and two on Sunday, and we encourage the local community to come out and participate."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
That is especially true after the only other team to take the tournament title — Virginia Tech, which captured back-to-back crowns in 2022 and 2023 — was eliminated by Clemson in the quarterfinal round this past Friday in Blacksburg, Va.
"That was surprising, to say the least, to not have Virginia Tech at the ALC tournament this weekend," Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said, noting that was the only team to defeat the Flames this season, in the Feb. 8 season opener at the Liberty Lacrosse Fields. "There is definitely both a sense of relief and a little disappointment not to get another shot at Virginia Tech and a chance at redemption."
The Hokies (9-6), who slipped three spots to No. 15 in this week's coaches' poll, rallied from a 5-2 halftime deficit to tie Clemson (9-6) at 10 after three quarters before the Tigers outscored them, 4-2, in the fourth quarter for a 14-12 triumph.
"Clemson had lost to Virginia Tech just a couple weeks ago, so to see that turnaround was not expected, but it is good for the ALC as a whole," McQuillan said, noting the same is true in the North Region, where Liberty has been a staple as the No. 1 seed for the playoffs, with the No. 2 seed different every season. "JMU made it this year, and now, since the ALC tournament started in 2021, we have had representation from Pittsburgh, JMU, West Virginia, and Temple. Only Kentucky, which is brand new to the ALC North, hasn't made the playoffs yet."
The Flames, who defeated Virginia Tech and Tennessee en route to last season's ALC tournament, would face the winner of Saturday's 5:30 p.m. semifinal between JMU and Tennessee in Sunday's 3 p.m. final.
Liberty is looking to gain momentum and solidify the No. 1 seed going into the May 5-10 MCLA National Championships in Round Rock, Texas. The team will fly out on Saturday, May 2, and compete in their first-round game in the 16-team tournament on May 5.
"We are hopefully going to use this weekend as a springboard into the MCLA tournament," McQuillan said. "We don't want to go in limping, but with a full head of steam, so to be able to repeat as ALC champs would be an awesome position to be in, and it would give us a ton of confidence going into what will be a very competitive national tournament."
The Flames did not meet Clemson this season, but the former SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference rival (ranked 23rd in the nation) ousted Liberty in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament before falling to Virginia Tech in the final.
"Clemson showed up and played its way into the tournament semifinals and will have an opportunity to try to capitalize on playing us, to bolster their national tournament resumé by getting a win against the No. 1 team in the country," McQuillan said. "That would skyrocket their opportunity to get an at-large tournament berth."
He said the Tigers are a dangerous team, especially coming off the upset of the Hokies.
"They're a very young team with a lot of new guys, after last year going through a bit of a rebuild," McQuillan said. "They have a lot of really good athletic players and have obviously grown, and the win over Virginia Tech shows they've come into an identity of their own."
For the Flames to survive and advance to the championship game for a chance to defend their title, they will have to establish control of the tempo and manage the game from start to finish.
"We are going to have to focus on our systems and playing our style of lacrosse," McQuillan said. "If we turn it into a track meet, it's a game that could easily slip away from us. We've got to win this as a team. If we're successful in doing what we want to do on the field, then I don't think there's a team that can stand in our way."
Saturday's Division I semifinals will follow Division II matchups between Wake Forest and UNC Wilmington at 10 a.m. and UNC Charlotte and Virginia Tech at 12:30 p.m. Also on Saturday at City Stadium, Rush Homes will be showcasing and raffling off its "Parade of Playhouses."
"It is an opportunity for local outreach and an opportunity to support a local organization to provide housing for low-income families in the Lynchburg area," McQuillan said, noting his wife, Lauren McQuillan, is serving as tournament director and incorporating the two causes. "Rush Homes is an organization that does a lot of good work. We want to try to invest in Lynchburg, and for those people that want to invest in a local organization, we may be able to convert some into lacrosse fans."
The Flames and Hokies will have an opportunity to encourage and recruit future players when they host a combined clinic for youth at City Stadium on Friday from 5:30-7 p.m.
"This is our first year doing it, so we will be prepared for one to one hundred kids," McQuillan said. "We are hoping it has success, as there is a lot of local youth lacrosse going on that weekend and we are inviting them out to Saturday's and Sunday's games. Overall, we want to build on what we did last year. It will be fun for the kids and there will be food trucks, concessions, and youth lacrosse players participating in halftime activities."
McQuillan is hopeful that the Flames can capitalize on the near-home-field advantage of playing in their hometown.
"We love we get to play these games in Lynchburg, not on Liberty's campus, but within close proximity to a home game," he said. "It is a great venue and opportunity, with six games on Saturday and two on Sunday, and we encourage the local community to come out and participate."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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