Friday, November 15
Amherst, MA
6:20 PM
Liberty University Club Sports
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at
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University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer, shown skating past a UMass player at the LaHaye Ice Center last season, netted three goals in Saturday's second-game rout of the Minutewomen. (Photo by Jacob Summersgill)
DI Lady Flames strengthen No. 1 ranking with 7-0, 11-0 sweep at UMass
11/16/2024 4:06:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey
Liberty showcased its depth of scoring and defensive prowess against the Minutewomen on their Olympic-sized ice at the Mullins Center.
Liberty University's top-ranked ACHA Division I women's hockey team overwhelmed unranked host University of Massachusetts at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass., to complete a 3-0 road trip on which it outscored opponents by a 24-2 margin.
The Lady Flames (9-1) dominated UMass (2-5-3) from start to finish, winning Friday night's opener 7-0 and Saturday morning's rematch 11-0.
"We finished the road trip really strongly today, with really good energy on the ice and the bench," Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "We got production from throughout our lineup, which was a big thing from the coaches' perspective. Our depth showed and we showed some good offensive firepower."
Freshman forward Presley Ellis started and ended the scoring in Friday night's opener, 2:02 after the game-opening faceoff and 2:45 into the third period on a power play. Her second goal came 22 seconds after sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer scored, also on a 5-on-4 advantage.
The Lady Flames also got single goals from junior forward Brookelyn Beauchamp, senior forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek, senior forward and head captain Brielle Fussy, and freshman forward Brooke Olson, the first of her career. Liberty outshot the Minutewomen by a 48-14 margin for the game.
On Saturday, the Lady Flames led 5-0 after the first period, outshooting the Minutewomen 20-3, and 10-0 after the second. They were paced by Sarauer's hat trick and single scores from Fussy, Hervert, Adamek, senior defensemen Madison Glynn and Sammy Peebles, freshman forwards Hayley Lee and Brooklyn Voortman, and freshman defenseman Isabelle Pelletier. Liberty outshot UMass by a 56-19 margin.
"We are seeing better chemistry on our lines and continuing to get better and better," Lowes said after the Lady Flames started the road trip with a 6-2 win at Rhode Island on Thursday afternoon. "It was a successful weekend. Road trips are always valuable for getting good reps in and fine-tuning your execution."
Junior goalie Alex Keith started Friday's contest before freshman Brooklyn Adams played between the pipes in Saturday's rematch with both recording shutouts.
"Our defense and goalies played very well in the two shutouts," Lowes said. "All weekend, our special teams played very well. Our penalty kill gave up one goal to Rhode Island on the power play Thursday night, but outside of that, our penalty kill was perfect and our power play finished 5-for-7 for the weekend, scoring twice today and twice on Friday night. We made teams pay and didn't really miss."
Liberty solidified its No. 1 ranking with the two wins over UMass, both meeting the six-goal-margin criteria to earn the maximum power point rating for the ACHA polls.
"We've put ourselves in a good spot," Lowes said. "At this point in the season, with three road trips over, we are looking forward to returning home to play three games next weekend against Minot State, which has grown into a rival, before Thanksgiving Break and then play Niagara at home for two more to end the fall semester."
He said the Lady Beavers — who knocked the Lady Flames out of the ACHA DI National Championships last March near St. Louis, ending Liberty's record run of five national titles in a row — are a formidable foe.
"They are one of three or four really tough teams in our league and it will be great to have them at (the) LaHaye (Ice Center) from Thursday through Saturday," Lowes said. "They are one of the ACHA's premiere teams and they are battle-tested, having played the best of the best in the nation. Any time you get them, Midland, or McKendree, our rivals, I think the girls are excited and will get up for it."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
The Lady Flames (9-1) dominated UMass (2-5-3) from start to finish, winning Friday night's opener 7-0 and Saturday morning's rematch 11-0.
"We finished the road trip really strongly today, with really good energy on the ice and the bench," Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "We got production from throughout our lineup, which was a big thing from the coaches' perspective. Our depth showed and we showed some good offensive firepower."
Freshman forward Presley Ellis started and ended the scoring in Friday night's opener, 2:02 after the game-opening faceoff and 2:45 into the third period on a power play. Her second goal came 22 seconds after sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer scored, also on a 5-on-4 advantage.
The Lady Flames also got single goals from junior forward Brookelyn Beauchamp, senior forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek, senior forward and head captain Brielle Fussy, and freshman forward Brooke Olson, the first of her career. Liberty outshot the Minutewomen by a 48-14 margin for the game.
On Saturday, the Lady Flames led 5-0 after the first period, outshooting the Minutewomen 20-3, and 10-0 after the second. They were paced by Sarauer's hat trick and single scores from Fussy, Hervert, Adamek, senior defensemen Madison Glynn and Sammy Peebles, freshman forwards Hayley Lee and Brooklyn Voortman, and freshman defenseman Isabelle Pelletier. Liberty outshot UMass by a 56-19 margin.
"We are seeing better chemistry on our lines and continuing to get better and better," Lowes said after the Lady Flames started the road trip with a 6-2 win at Rhode Island on Thursday afternoon. "It was a successful weekend. Road trips are always valuable for getting good reps in and fine-tuning your execution."
Junior goalie Alex Keith started Friday's contest before freshman Brooklyn Adams played between the pipes in Saturday's rematch with both recording shutouts.
"Our defense and goalies played very well in the two shutouts," Lowes said. "All weekend, our special teams played very well. Our penalty kill gave up one goal to Rhode Island on the power play Thursday night, but outside of that, our penalty kill was perfect and our power play finished 5-for-7 for the weekend, scoring twice today and twice on Friday night. We made teams pay and didn't really miss."
Liberty solidified its No. 1 ranking with the two wins over UMass, both meeting the six-goal-margin criteria to earn the maximum power point rating for the ACHA polls.
"We've put ourselves in a good spot," Lowes said. "At this point in the season, with three road trips over, we are looking forward to returning home to play three games next weekend against Minot State, which has grown into a rival, before Thanksgiving Break and then play Niagara at home for two more to end the fall semester."
He said the Lady Beavers — who knocked the Lady Flames out of the ACHA DI National Championships last March near St. Louis, ending Liberty's record run of five national titles in a row — are a formidable foe.
"They are one of three or four really tough teams in our league and it will be great to have them at (the) LaHaye (Ice Center) from Thursday through Saturday," Lowes said. "They are one of the ACHA's premiere teams and they are battle-tested, having played the best of the best in the nation. Any time you get them, Midland, or McKendree, our rivals, I think the girls are excited and will get up for it."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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