Friday, February 23
Lynchburg, Va.
8:15pm
Liberty University Club Sports
2
vs
1
Maryville University
Sophomore forward Brookelyn Beauchamp skates out of the defensive zone beside junior forward Brielle Fussy in a game last season. (Photo by Brooke McDuffee)
Putbacks by Battles lift Lady Flames to WMCH Tournament-opening win over Lions
2/23/2024 9:07:00 AM | Women's D1 Hockey
No. 1 Liberty will face No. 4-seeded Maryville (Mo.) University in Friday's 8:15 p.m. semifinal with the winner advancing to Saturday's 2:30 p.m. championship final against either No. 2 Midland or No. 3 Minot State.
Junior forward Haley Battles moved into the scoring lead for No. 1-seeded Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team with two goals — including her team-high fourth game winner of the season — and one assist in Thursday night's 5-2 Women's Midwest College Hockey (WMCH) Championship quarterfinal win over eighth-seeded Lindenwood University at the LaHaye Ice Center.
The game was bumped up to 5:30 p.m. as Minnesota was delayed in its travels and played defending WMCH tournament champion Midland (Neb.) University in the 8:30 p.m. slot.
The five-time defending national champion Lady Flames (19-4-2), who are contending for their fourth WMCH Tournament title in five years since the conference was formed, will challenge No. 4-seeded Maryville (20-14-1) in Friday's 8:15 p.m. semifinals with the winner advancing to Saturday's 2:30 p.m. championship game. The Saints advanced with a 2-1 win over McKendree on a game-winning goal by leading scorer Mady Johnsen with 14 seconds remaining in regulation.
The other semifinal, set for 5 p.m., pits No. 2 Midland, a 6-1 winner over No. 7 Minnesota, against No. 3 Minot State, which edged No. 6 Jamestown, 1-0.
"The goal is to get better each game as other teams will be gaining confidence and belief as they move on," Liberty Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "We will need to be better (on Friday) to earn a spot in (Saturday's) finals."
The Lady Flames rallied from an early 1-0 deficit against the Lions (7-17-4) after Marina Evert opened the scoring unassisted at the 14:32 mark. Graduate defenseman Aislyn Stretch netted the tying goal just over two minutes later, taking a pass from sophomore defenseman Emerson Oakes across the high slot before rifling a shot from the right point past Lindenwood goalie Evi Allerding.
Junior forward Brielle Fussy put Liberty up 2-1 just 1:15 later by one-timing her shot off a feed out of the right corner from sophomore forward Brookelyn Beauchamp through the five hole.
But Lindenwood responded with the equalizer just 1:37 later on Ardyn Hawryshko's 15th goal of the year at the 9:14 mark. The Lady Flames reclaimed the lead for good when Battles capitalized on a putback in the right crease after close-ranged shots by graduate forward Rianna Spanier and junior forward Zosia Adamek with 7:28 left in the opening stanza.
"I don't think we looked very quick tonight, and we missed some important touches around the net (but) I was proud of our response to the strong push by Lindenwood in the first period," Lowes said. "They played tough and desperate. Getting out of that first period ahead by a goal was important as we settled in a little in the second period."
The score remained 3-2 in Liberty's favor for the next 30 minutes before the Lady Flames capped the scoring with two unanswered goals in the third period.
Spanier stretched the lead to 4-2 by posting up in front of the cage and deflecting junior defenseman Madison Glynn's shot from the left point past Allerding with 17:10 to play.
Battles then iced the victory with 5:30 remaining in regulation by slamming home another rebound from the right crease after Adamek's shot from the high slot.
Liberty outshot Lindenwood by a 47-19 margin and sophomore goalie Alex Keith made 17 saves to secure the win to improve to 9-1-2 on the year in place of senior Amanda Storey (7-1), who may not return from injury until the March 13-17 ACHA DI National Championships near St. Louis.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media
The game was bumped up to 5:30 p.m. as Minnesota was delayed in its travels and played defending WMCH tournament champion Midland (Neb.) University in the 8:30 p.m. slot.
The five-time defending national champion Lady Flames (19-4-2), who are contending for their fourth WMCH Tournament title in five years since the conference was formed, will challenge No. 4-seeded Maryville (20-14-1) in Friday's 8:15 p.m. semifinals with the winner advancing to Saturday's 2:30 p.m. championship game. The Saints advanced with a 2-1 win over McKendree on a game-winning goal by leading scorer Mady Johnsen with 14 seconds remaining in regulation.
The other semifinal, set for 5 p.m., pits No. 2 Midland, a 6-1 winner over No. 7 Minnesota, against No. 3 Minot State, which edged No. 6 Jamestown, 1-0.
"The goal is to get better each game as other teams will be gaining confidence and belief as they move on," Liberty Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "We will need to be better (on Friday) to earn a spot in (Saturday's) finals."
The Lady Flames rallied from an early 1-0 deficit against the Lions (7-17-4) after Marina Evert opened the scoring unassisted at the 14:32 mark. Graduate defenseman Aislyn Stretch netted the tying goal just over two minutes later, taking a pass from sophomore defenseman Emerson Oakes across the high slot before rifling a shot from the right point past Lindenwood goalie Evi Allerding.
Junior forward Brielle Fussy put Liberty up 2-1 just 1:15 later by one-timing her shot off a feed out of the right corner from sophomore forward Brookelyn Beauchamp through the five hole.
But Lindenwood responded with the equalizer just 1:37 later on Ardyn Hawryshko's 15th goal of the year at the 9:14 mark. The Lady Flames reclaimed the lead for good when Battles capitalized on a putback in the right crease after close-ranged shots by graduate forward Rianna Spanier and junior forward Zosia Adamek with 7:28 left in the opening stanza.
"I don't think we looked very quick tonight, and we missed some important touches around the net (but) I was proud of our response to the strong push by Lindenwood in the first period," Lowes said. "They played tough and desperate. Getting out of that first period ahead by a goal was important as we settled in a little in the second period."
The score remained 3-2 in Liberty's favor for the next 30 minutes before the Lady Flames capped the scoring with two unanswered goals in the third period.
Spanier stretched the lead to 4-2 by posting up in front of the cage and deflecting junior defenseman Madison Glynn's shot from the left point past Allerding with 17:10 to play.
Battles then iced the victory with 5:30 remaining in regulation by slamming home another rebound from the right crease after Adamek's shot from the high slot.
Liberty outshot Lindenwood by a 47-19 margin and sophomore goalie Alex Keith made 17 saves to secure the win to improve to 9-1-2 on the year in place of senior Amanda Storey (7-1), who may not return from injury until the March 13-17 ACHA DI National Championships near St. Louis.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media
Players Mentioned
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