Liberty’s girls basketball team opened its season with a 14-0 run on Southern Lehigh in the first four minutes of play, ultimately beating the Spartans, 57-24, on Saturday afternoon at Liberty.

“I was happy with how the girls came out with the energy. You never know with opening day or not seeing a team and doing too much, but I liked the way we came out,” said second-year Liberty head coach Jarrett Carnes. “We’re sharing the ball, and I like how everyone stayed together, one through 14 on the roster, so that means a lot to me. It’s one game at a time. You can’t get too happy with one W, but we’ll take it.”

Hurricane freshman Ava Kopetskie led off the scoring spree with the first four points of the game, tallying a game-high 15, and senior teammate Layla Orth hit the first 3-pointer of the day in the 29-4 first quarter.

“With us being a young team, we struggle to find the right energy all the time, and I think, with everybody coming out of the gate with so much energy, that really set us off and set the tone,” said Orth. “It was great to start off the season hitting the first [three] of the season. It was even more amazing to see so many other girls hitting. I’ve been the shooter on Liberty’s team, and now that we have so many others, it’s nice to know that I can rely on my teammates.”

Lila Padden’s layup for with 4:15 left in the first quarter put the Southern Lehigh on the scoreboard, and Tessa Seagreaves sank two free throws at :24.

But it was Jordan Thompson’s buzzer-beating shot for Liberty that added to the excitement of the Hurricanes’ home opener.

“We know what shots we can and can’t take, but I think with Coach Carnes being so open to us taking shots, that gives us all the confidence that we need,” said Orth. “We never really played a 4-around-1 before, but I feel like we have the resources. Our big this year, Julia Medaska, is very long and can get to the rim very easily, so it’s just more adapting to that type of play.”

All five Liberty starters, Orth, Kopetskie, Medaska, Ruby Miller, and Emma Pukszyn tallied points for the Hurricanes.

“We lost two senior starters from last year, so basically the whole team coming back and then a freshman who started for varsity was great,” said Coach Carnes. “Hopefully, we continue the energy and move forward.”

Abby Thompson drained a 3-pointer early in the second quarter before Southern Lehigh went on a 7-0 run that included a three by Danika Lewis.

It was at that point that Orth accumulated her third personal foul.

“I find myself using my body more than I should,” she said. “I tend to jump toward the ball right away, and if the girl goes, I’ll just slide with her, which means we’ll collide and obviously it’s my foul.”

Medaska and Miller also had two fouls apiece early.

“I stressed to them, no reach-in in the fouling,” Carnes said, “because I felt like if we could just stay in front of them and slide our feet, then they would be turning the ball over, and we didn’t have to go and create havoc as far as girls fouling all over the place and having to sit.”

The Hurricanes held the Spartans to two points in the third quarter when, with 5:40 on the clock, the mercy rule went into effect.

Aziah Wilkens came off Liberty’s bench to add two points off a steal in the fourth quarter, and Ally Walker had the last points of the game for the Hurricanes.

Daymaiya Turner also scored for Liberty midway through the third quarter.

Liberty’s Eastern Pennsylvania Conference opener will pit the Hurricanes against the Nazareth Blue Eagles at Nazareth, followed by a second road trip to Northampton on Friday night.