Senior forward and head captain Brielle Fussy skates past an Adrian College player in last season's series at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Brooke McDuffee)
Lady Flames battle past defending champion Bulldogs for regular-season-opening split
10/26/2024 4:24:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey
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Liberty scored all four of its goals on putbacks and junior goalie Alex Keith held the Bulldogs to one goal for the second game in a row.
Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team pounced on loose pucks with reckless abandon in Saturday afternoon's rematch against reigning national champion Adrian College, scoring all four goals on putbacks and salvaging a split with a 4-1 triumph at the Arrington Ice Center.
"I was happy with the bounce back, and we looked like a team that played with a lot more confidence today," Head Coach Chris Lowes said after the Lady Flames evened their record at 1-1. "We had a good jump in the game and were able to find a little bit of offense today. After dropping that one last night, this one feels pretty good, to come away with a split against a really good team on the road. We did a lot of good things and exposed some areas where we need to continue to improve."
With the Lady Flames on a power play following a five-minute major assessed to the Bulldogs, freshman forward Presley Ellis stole the puck at the top of the Lady Flames' left circle and skated up the left wing before leaving it for Brookelyn Beauchamp. Her shot was stopped but not gloved by Adrian goalie Rieley Jessie-Gerelli, and sophomore forward Tristan Craig crashed the cage and put away the putback in the right crease at the 14:46 mark of the second period.
Liberty capitalized on another power-play chance with 11:36 to play in the period after senior forward and alternate captain Haley Battles skated the puck around the back of the net and found sophomore defenseman Sophia Adamek in the left circle. Her shot was blocked by Jessie-Gerelli, but senior forward and head captain Brielle Fussy gathered the rebound, pivoted, and put away a point-blank shot for a 2-0 advantage.
"Fussy had a great weekend," Lowes said. "Even when she's not producing, she brings great energy and works as hard as anyone on the ice. To see her go to those tough areas and dirty areas and get those goals, we didn't have that yesterday. She was out in front of the net, fighting."
Fussy stretched Liberty's lead to 3-0 by cleaning up a putback of senior defenseman Madison Glenn's shot from the left point and punching it into the back of the net.
"Those are effort and toughness battles," Lowes said. "Some girls really zone in and win those, being able to get sticks on the puck. They don't take a lot of skill, and Brielle's one of our more talented players, so I was excited to see our captain lead the way in that way."
Finally, with 17:39 left in the third, the Lady Flames broke the game wide open with a fourth putback finish, this time by sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer near the right post after a shot from the top of the left circle off the stick of junior defenseman Emerson Oakes.
With Adrian (7-3-1) on the power play, it snapped junior goalie Alex Keith's shutout bid by converting on a shot by leading scorer Tess McKerrow deftly deflected in front by second-leading scorer Hailey Wiltshire past Keith into the net for the final score with 7:35 remaining.
Liberty outshot the Bulldogs 30-24 and Keith made 23 saves, allowing only one goal for the second outing in a row.
"Alex played a really good game in net," Lowes said. "She stopped a partial breakaway, and we had four penalty kills in the third period."
After the teams combined for 13 penalties in Friday night's opener, there were more power play opportunities both ways in the rematch, but Liberty won the special teams battle this time.
"We stayed disciplined for the most part today," Lowes said. "Our veterans did their thing, our rookies had some good minutes."
The Lady Flames will return to the LaHaye Ice Center next weekend, starting with their first-ever Midnight Mayhem matchup with No. 1-ranked Maryville on Friday at 11:59 p.m.
"We are excited to face No. 1 team in the nation in our home opener, our start to (WMCH) league play, and first Midnight Mayhem game ever, against a rival of ours that is a nationals contender," Lowes said. "There could be 500 people, or could be 3,000, but we are happy to play in front of our home crowd against a good team."
By Ted Allen/Staff WriterLady Flames players (from left) Brielle Fussy, Isabella Hervert, and Brookelyn Beauchamp battle for the puck against Adrian last season.
