Darren Amoo scored twice and Timothy Bullock added another goal as the Liberty Flames downed the Longwood Lancers, 3-1, Tuesday night in a nonconference men’s soccer match at Osborne Stadium.

Liberty records its first victory of the young season in its home opener, moving to 1-1 on the year, while Route 460 rival Longwood falls to 1-1 on the season. With the win, the Flames have won the last three meetings between the two squads.

After Liberty midfielder Phillip Aseweh and Amoo each got off shot attempts in the opening minutes of the contest, visiting Longwood countered with a flurry of shots during the fifth minute. Forward Nick Surkamp started the burst with a shot from the top of the 18-yard box, which Flames goalkeeper Josh Pacella knocked down, but the shot was not able to be cleared.

Surkamp picked up the rebound and fired another attempt off the post. The loose ball rolled off to the left side of the penalty area, where forward Zach Crandall launched a shot attempt, which sailed wide.

Liberty got on the scoreboard in the 16^th minute. Midfielder Travis Joseph sent a pass off the left side of the box for defender Uriah Bentick, who sent a crisp crossing pass in front of the net for Amoo. The redshirt junior headed the ball into the lower left-hand corner for his first goal of the season and a 1-0 host advantage.

Later in the half, after a save by Pacella on an attempt by Surkamp in the 35^th minute, Flames midfielder Juan F. Niño pounced on a loose ball at the top of the box. Finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, the senior ripped a shot, forcing Lancer netminder Joel Heimick to make a diving save in the 39^th minute and sending the contest to halftime with Liberty in front, 1-0.

The Flames opened the second half on the attack. Less than five minutes into the period, Amoo found himself in the free for a shot from just inside the box, which Helmick was able to turn aside. However, the forward was given another crack seconds later, when Aseweh intercepted a clearing attempt in the midfield and slipped a pass into the box for Amoo. The forward buried a shot into the right-hand corner for a 2-0 Liberty advantage and his second goal of the evening at 51:32.

The home team kept up the pressure on the Longwood defense over the next twenty minutes, carrying most of play. Joseph worked free for two shots during the span, but both attempts went wide.

In the 72^nd minute, the host Flames got on the Osborne Stadium scoreboard for their final tally of the evening, upping their advantage to 3-0. Midfielder Kyle Breitmeyer scooped up a loose ball outside of the box on the right-side of the net and moved quickly into open space. Drawing a defender and Helmick to him, Breitmeyer fed a pass across the front of the goal to an on-coming Bullock, who rammed the ball home for his first goal of the year.

Longwood spoiled the shutout in the game’s final minute. Surkamp was able to score his second goal of year, with time expiring, for the final score of 3-1.

Liberty edged Longwood, 11-10, in shots, while the Lancers held the advantage in corner kicks, 7-3, in the contest.

Pacella made four saves in the Flames’ net, while Helmick recorded two saves for Longwood.

With two goals on the night, Amoo moves into a tie for fourth on the Liberty career goals list. The forward moves into a tie with current Flames volunteer assistant coach Adrian Bumbut with 32 goals.

Liberty will open Big South Conference play on Monday, when its travels to High Point, N.C., for a match with the High Point Panthers. Match time at Vert Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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