Liberty University Club Sports
Arizona State University
Lady Flames show offensive firepower in 11-0 scorching of Sun Devils
11/19/2021 12:21:00 AM | Women's D1 Hockey
Liberty University’s three-time-defending national champion ACHA Division I women’s hockey team scorched Arizona State in Friday night’s series opener at the LaHaye Ice Center (LIC), netting five goals in the first period before adding four more in the second en route to an 11-0 thrashing.
The Sun Devils (8-4) entered the game with as many players (three) as the Lady Flames among the top 20 scoring leaders this season and held a 76-16 advantage on opponents to date.
But the Lady Flames (13-0) shut them out and showed why they are the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, scoring nearly as many goals as ASU had allowed through its first 11 games, sparked by freshman forward Haley Battles’ four goals and three assists.
“They did have a couple quick players that could definitely keep up with everyone on the ice, but we know how to dominate, know how to play our systems well, and it kind of shows,” Battles said.
Battles, Liberty’s leading scorer on the season with 10 goals and 12 assists, started the scoring with 17:24 left in the first period. She gathered the rebound of graduate defenseman Dana McLeod’s shot from the top of the right circle and chipping a shot off the pad of ASU goalie Hallie McClelland and just inside the left post for an early 1-0 lead.
Then, with the Lady Flames on a power play, graduate forward and head captain Vanessa DeMerchant received a pass across the high slot from McLeod and launched a shot from the top of the left circle through senior forward Yannick Truter’s screen in front for a 2-0 advantage at the 9:09 mark.
Just 2:02 later, senior forward Linzy Jedrzejek skated down the slot and received a feed from freshman linemate Zosia Adamek, who was tightly covered along the left boards. She sliced across the crease and tucked the puck around McClelland in the right side of the net.
The Lady Flames added two more scores in the final 1:42 of the first period, first by sophomore forward Carly Glover on a shot from in the left circle off an assist from Truter, who had won a faceoff back to Glover. Just 23 seconds later, Battles scored off assists from Glover and Truter, who spotted her from behind the cage, stretching Liberty’s lead to 5-0.
The decisive advantage allowed Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes and Assistant Coach Justin Forth to bring their fourth line into the rotation and they capitalized with 12:53 to go in the second period when Laura Arfstrom threaded a pass from out of the right corner across the cage to fellow freshman forward Isabella Hervert for a point-blank finish near the left post, the first goal of her career.
“We did roll all four lines today, which was really good, so a lot of people that don’t play as much got to play a lot more today,” Battles said. “We had switched lines up this week to try something different and it just seems no matter who we are playing with, we can all click together. There’s been a lot of contribution from everyone so it’s been really good to get more people on the board, especially Bella Hervert getting her first goal of the season. That was really exciting for her.”
Then, with 8:48 left in the second, graduate forward Shelby Bradford sent a touch pass to DeMerchant at the top of the right circle and she skated in and lifted a beautiful wrist shot into the upper netting for a commanding 7-0 edge.
Truter padded the lead to 8-0 after taking an entry pass from Battles down the slot and tucking a backhanded finish around McClelland.
“I thought that pass wasn’t going to get through,” Battles said. “I thought (the defenseman) was going to pick it off, but I just got it to her and she finished it, (so) that was very exciting.”
Battles then put away the Lady Flames’ ninth goal on a putback in the right crease 46 seconds before the second intermission after sophomore forward Brityn Fussy skated down the right wing and sent a crossing feed to graduate defenseman Sally Hoerr in the left crease.
Fussy stretched Liberty’s lead to 10-0 by finishing a shot from deep in the left circle inside the right post after skating up the left wing with 15:35 to play in the third period.
Finally, seconds into a power play, the Lady Flames capped the scoring at 11-0 at the 9:49 mark when McLeod sent a pass from the high slot down to Bradford on the left endline, where she caught McClelland out of position and slammed the puck into an open net.
Liberty sophomore goalie Amanda Storey (7-0) posted her third consecutive shutout and fourth of the season in net.
The Lady Flames, who are riding a 28-game winning streak dating back to last season, will look to complete the sweep and end the fall semester undefeated when they meet the Sun Devils back at the LIC on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
“Just to be able to go out there and have fun doing the things we like to do will be good to go into break and just relax,” Battles said. “It’ll be exciting to come back after New Year’s and keep things rolling like we have been.”
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media
