Friday, December 1
Fremont, NE
6:00 PM
Liberty University Club Sports
0
at
5
Midland University
Junior forward Brielle Fussy skates against Maryville in a game at the LaHaye Ice Center on Nov. 17. (Photo by Ryan Anderson)
No. 1 Lady Flames swept for first time in six-plus seasons at No. 2 WMCH rival Midland
12/1/2023 10:20:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey
Liberty gave up two unanswered goals in the first and second periods and allowed a fifth in the third for its first shutout loss in 82 games.
Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team, ranked No. 1 in the nation, suffered a 5-0 setback in Friday night's rematch at No. 2 Midland University at Sidner Ice Arena in Fremont, Neb.
The Lady Flames lost back-to-back games for the first time since being swept by the Washington Pride at the LaHaye Ice Center on Sept. 23-24, 2017, Head Coach Chris Lowes' first season with the team, which went on to win its first of five consecutive national championships the following spring.
"That was the first time we've been swept by an ACHA opponent in the seven seasons I've been with the team," Lowes said. "You've got to give a lot of credit to Midland. They are a very talented team. Even when we had some pushback, they had an answer, and they would pot a goal."
Midland (19-0-1) defeated the Lady Flames (11-2-1) for just the third time in the 13 meetings between the two teams, with the first coming in last season's WMCH Tournament final near St. Louis and the second on Thursday night, both by 2-1 scores. The Warriors solidified their lead in the WMCH regular-season standings over second-placed Liberty.
It was the first time since a Jan. 23, 2021, home loss to Lindenwood (Mo.) University — a stretch of 82 games — that Liberty was shut out.
The Warriors outshot the Lady Flames by a 27-19 margin and Midland goalie Hannah Stone (11-0-1) made 19 saves to post her first shutout of the season and lower her goals-against average to 1.07. Meanwhile, Lady Flames sophomore goalie Alexis Keith (4-1-1) lost for the second time this season and first in regulation.
For the second night in row, the Warriors scored quickly, seizing a 1-0 advantage with 17:12 to play in the first period on leading scorer Kayla Flanigan's shot from the left circle into the upper netting.
"We had a better start than we did yesterday, with a couple good scoring chances early, but then they get one in on their very first shot," Lowes said. "It was a bit of a broken play and we got caught on a line change."
Then, with 9:11 left in the first, second-leading scorer Ally Rakowski doubled the lead to 2-0 by capitalizing on a three-on-on break, putting away a pass from Jaicee Huberdeau from deep in the left crease.
Less than a minute into the second period, with Midland on a power play, Rakowski finished Flanigan's feed from behind the net to stretch the Warriors' lead to 3-0. Then, at the 7:49 mark, she completed her hat trick with a fast-break finish off a pass from Flanigan for her team-high 17th goal of the season, padding Midland's cushion to 4-0.
Finally in the third period, the Warriors converted their second power-play goal in four chances on the night when Darbi Poole deflected in a sharp-angled feed from the right circle by Grace Page set up by defenseman Katie McNair's pass from the high slot for the final score with 5:49 remaining in regulation.
The Lady Flames will conclude their three-game, semester-ending road trip by facing the 12th-ranked University of Jamestown (N.D.) on Saturday at 5 p.m. back at Sidner Ice Arena.
"You learn more from a loss than from a win, and certain areas of our game were exposed tonight," Lowes said. "We've got to look in the mirror and get back at it tomorrow. We are excited to get a third game, especially after that, to get a chance to bounce back and not end the semester on that note."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
The Lady Flames lost back-to-back games for the first time since being swept by the Washington Pride at the LaHaye Ice Center on Sept. 23-24, 2017, Head Coach Chris Lowes' first season with the team, which went on to win its first of five consecutive national championships the following spring.
"That was the first time we've been swept by an ACHA opponent in the seven seasons I've been with the team," Lowes said. "You've got to give a lot of credit to Midland. They are a very talented team. Even when we had some pushback, they had an answer, and they would pot a goal."
Midland (19-0-1) defeated the Lady Flames (11-2-1) for just the third time in the 13 meetings between the two teams, with the first coming in last season's WMCH Tournament final near St. Louis and the second on Thursday night, both by 2-1 scores. The Warriors solidified their lead in the WMCH regular-season standings over second-placed Liberty.
It was the first time since a Jan. 23, 2021, home loss to Lindenwood (Mo.) University — a stretch of 82 games — that Liberty was shut out.
The Warriors outshot the Lady Flames by a 27-19 margin and Midland goalie Hannah Stone (11-0-1) made 19 saves to post her first shutout of the season and lower her goals-against average to 1.07. Meanwhile, Lady Flames sophomore goalie Alexis Keith (4-1-1) lost for the second time this season and first in regulation.
For the second night in row, the Warriors scored quickly, seizing a 1-0 advantage with 17:12 to play in the first period on leading scorer Kayla Flanigan's shot from the left circle into the upper netting.
"We had a better start than we did yesterday, with a couple good scoring chances early, but then they get one in on their very first shot," Lowes said. "It was a bit of a broken play and we got caught on a line change."
Then, with 9:11 left in the first, second-leading scorer Ally Rakowski doubled the lead to 2-0 by capitalizing on a three-on-on break, putting away a pass from Jaicee Huberdeau from deep in the left crease.
Less than a minute into the second period, with Midland on a power play, Rakowski finished Flanigan's feed from behind the net to stretch the Warriors' lead to 3-0. Then, at the 7:49 mark, she completed her hat trick with a fast-break finish off a pass from Flanigan for her team-high 17th goal of the season, padding Midland's cushion to 4-0.
Finally in the third period, the Warriors converted their second power-play goal in four chances on the night when Darbi Poole deflected in a sharp-angled feed from the right circle by Grace Page set up by defenseman Katie McNair's pass from the high slot for the final score with 5:49 remaining in regulation.
The Lady Flames will conclude their three-game, semester-ending road trip by facing the 12th-ranked University of Jamestown (N.D.) on Saturday at 5 p.m. back at Sidner Ice Arena.
"You learn more from a loss than from a win, and certain areas of our game were exposed tonight," Lowes said. "We've got to look in the mirror and get back at it tomorrow. We are excited to get a third game, especially after that, to get a chance to bounce back and not end the semester on that note."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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