Lady Flames cap solid semester by sweeping pesky Purple Eagles, 5-1, 3-2 in OT

Thursday, December 5

Lynchburg, VA

9:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Niagara University

Freshman forward Tristan Craig (17) and sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer (8) skate past three Purple Panthers players in Thursday's late-night series opener at the LaHaye Ice Center. (Photos by Ryan Anderson)

Lady Flames cap solid semester by sweeping pesky Purple Eagles, 5-1, 3-2 in OT

12/6/2024 9:31:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey

Liberty overcame a 1-0 deficit with five unanswered goals in Thursday night's opener before Brielle Fussy tied Saturday's rematch late in the second period and Zosia Adamek netted the game winner in overtime, her fourth goal of the series.

Gallery: (12-6-2024) DI women's hockey vs. Niagara

A first-ever series against Niagara University, a second-year program ranked No. 9 in the nation, provided challenging tests for Liberty University's top-ranked ACHA Division I women's hockey team before finals week.

The Lady Flames (11-2) overcame early deficits in both games before sweeping the Purple Eagles (6-9), winning 5-1 late Thursday night and 3-2 with a dramatic overtime finish Friday afternoon in the LaHaye Ice Center.

"I'm really proud of us to come back like that," junior forward Brookelyn Beauchamp said. "We've had a few games where we were behind, and we don't get down. We continue to put pucks in the net and like find a way, like (Head Coach Chris) Lowes says."

"It was a bit of a dogfight because it was always tight, it was always a one-goal game," Lowes added. "It's a good team, a nationals team, and they're going to be a tough out."

Beauchamp said the Lady Flames will be better prepared for Niagara the next time they meet.

"They were really tough to play against, with a lot of physicality which is always fun to play," she said, comparing it to defending ACHA DI national champion Adrian College. "They're tough and I'm excited to play them again and be ready to compete. It was a learning curve for us and if we do see them at nationals, we will know what to do."

Senior forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek scored two goals in both games, including the game winner with 2:00 remaining in Friday's sudden-death overtime period, to move into Liberty's scoring lead with 12 goals and 6 assists on the season.

"I'm super happy for Zosia, seeing her shine and taking on that assistant captain role," Beauchamp said. "She's been dialing in and stepping up."

In Thursday's opener, Niagara forward Olivia Worrall netted her first goal of the season to start the scoring with 11:22 remaining in the first period, beating Brooklyn Adams with a shot into the top-right corner of the cage off a fast-break feed from defenseman Jaidyn Clipperton.

The Lady Flames responded with five unanswered goals over the next 30 minutes to pull away, sparked by the first of four goals in the two games by Adamek with 1.9 seconds to play in the first period.

Adamek received a quick outlet pass from junior defenseman Emerson Oakes up the right boards before skating into the right circle and sneaking the equalizer past Purple Eagles goalie Mackenzie Addley blocker-side inside the left post.

Liberty broke the game open with the only four goals of the second period, starting with 15:15 left when graduate defenseman Peyton Carle delivered the game winner with a spectacular shot through the slot. She controlled a deflected shot off the stick of senior forward and alternate captain Haley Battles and lifted a wrist shot into the upper netting before crashing head-first into Addley for a 2-1 advantage.

Just under 10 minutes later, Adamek converted a similar score off a Niagara turnover, maneuvering around two defensemen in the slot and lifting a shot over the shoulder of Addley into the top-left corner to make it 3-1 at the 5:38 mark.

The Lady Flames took advantage of another Purple Eagles defensive miscue when freshman forward Tristan Craig forced a turnover in the slot and sophomore forward Ellie Sarauer pounced on the loose puck and tucked it away from the right crease for a commanding 4-1 with 2:38 to play. Less than a minute later, Liberty cleaned up the rebound of an Oakes' shot from the left point when senior forward and head captain Brielle Fussy fired a putback through the right crease that freshman forward Hayley Lee smacked across the goal line for the final score.

It was a different story in Friday afternoon's rematch, as the Purple Eagles rallied from a 1-0 deficit to seize a 2-1 lead before battling Liberty down to the wire.

Adamek picked up where she left off 13 hours before by scoring unassisted 11 seconds after the opening faceoff with a driving shot from deep in the right circle.

But just over five minutes later, Abbey Pileggi capitalized on a breakaway after a couple Lady Flames defensive lapses up the center of the ice, slipping the puck past junior goalie Alex Keith to knot the contest at 1. Then, at the 15:13 mark of the second period, Clipperton launched a shot through traffic from the left point that gave Niagara a 2-1 edge.

"We gave up some odd-man rushes, that was our Kryptonite this weekend, and give them credit, they didn't miss," Lowes said.

Fussy singlehandedly manufactured the tying goal six minutes later by sparking a breakaway with a poke check steal and skating past Niagara's defense with a rush that she finished with a beautiful wrist shot inside the left post.

The Purple Eagles killed off a couple of penalties late in a second period and again late in a scoreless third. With the Lady Flames back on a power play with 4:15 remaining in regulation, Niagara goalie Mya Castrillo repelled a golden opportunity by Fussy in the right crease.

In the opening minute of the 5:00 sudden-death overtime period, with the teams skating 3-on-3, Fussy was again denied on a point-blank shot in front after skating down the slot before freshman forward Tristan Craig's shot from the left crease on another Lady Flames rush glanced off the top of the crossbar.

After Liberty senior defenseman Madison Glynn's shot from the high slot was blocked high by Castrillo, Adamek capitalized on the game winner by skating the puck through the left circle with a phenomenal move around Niagara defenseman Eastman McComber before finishing inside the left post from point-blank range at the 2:00 mark.

"The game was kind of stressful, but our girls stepped up and we had good puck control and passing in overtime," Beauchamp said.

"Today was a battle for survival," Lowes added. "It was a tough grind, but the composure was there. There is a lot of belief and trust in each other, and we found a way today and it caps off a pretty good semester for us. We've put ourselves in a really good spot. It's time to get a little rest and I think the girls will be fired up to come back in January."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Videos edited by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media