DII Lady Flames stage come-from-behind win over Blue Hens in overtime, keep Final Four hopes alive

Wednesday, March 13

St. Louis, MO

4:00 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

University of Delaware

Freshman goalie Abby Manzewitsch dives to try to save a loose puck behind Lady Flames forward Madison Gaddy (15), defenseman Brynlee Anderson (16), and forward Brylie Beddell. (Photos by Ted Allen)

DII Lady Flames stage come-from-behind win over Blue Hens in overtime, keep Final Four hopes alive

3/14/2024 12:09:00 AM | Women's D2 Hockey

Liberty rallied for two goals in the third period and the game winner with 3:19 left in the sudden-death OT to win the rubber match with DVCHC rival Delaware and even its record in pool play at 1-1.

Gallery: (3-13-2024) DII women's hockey vs. Delaware

As its Division II men's team did in the first round of pool play on Monday, Liberty University's ACHA DII women's hockey team rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period of its second game of pool play against DVCHC rival Delaware on Wednesday to stage a thrilling 4-3 victory, only with an extra boost of excitement in sudden-death overtime.

Playing at the Maryville University Ice Center in Chesterfield, Mo., the Lady Flames gave their fans plenty to celebrate throughout the contest as they recorded the first national tournament win in DII women's hockey history.

Liberty (12-7-3) struck first with 10:49 to play in the second period by capitalizing on a lightning-quick fast break with Cora Williams putting away a pass across the slot from fellow freshman forward Kathryn Kornek from the inside edge of the left circle for a 1-0 lead.

However, the Lady Flames dealt with penalty trouble throughout the rest of the period, and racked up nine infractions for the game, allowing the Blue Hens (16-6-3) to turn the tables on them by netting the equalizer on a 5-on-3 power play and the go-ahead goal on a 5-on-4 in the final minute.

"We were playing really well five-on-five throughout the first period and then things kind of got derailed in the second period with all of the penalties," Liberty Assistant Coach Kevin Serapiglia said. "So, we just went into the locker room after the second period and tried to settle them down and to … play more solid, sound hockey and just play five on five, and we knew we could outplay them that way and things just went our way."

Delaware added an insurance goal just 13 seconds after the third-period faceoff when defenseman Shaw Downing sneaked a shot past Liberty freshman goalie Abby Manzewitsch on transition.

But the Lady Flames, who split their series with the Blue Hens on their Olympic-sized ice, showed a flair for the dramatic. Senior defenseman Brynlee Anderson assisted Liberty's two goals in the third period, the first by Williams, who skated end-to-end to finish with 7:28 remaining in regulation, and the second on a shot from the high slot that junior forward Laura Arfstrom deftly deflected past Delaware goalie Maddy Boyle with 2:01 to go.

"Great tip by Laura," Serapiglia said. "She's normally a defenseman, but we took her and put her up as a forward for a couple shifts there to try to get some offense going and she definitely helped spark that comeback, too."

Junior forward Isabel Gracia came off the bench and scored the game winner seconds later on the putback of an initial shot by sophomore defenseman Kate Walhof with 3:19 to play in the 5:00 sudden-death overtime period.

Liberty outshot Delaware 35-33 for the contest, including 2-0 in overtime.

"Our penalty kill played well all game," Serapiglia said. "They scored two power-play goals, and one of them was while they were on 5-on-3, so our penalty killers did amazing work. They really held us in it, so they get a lot of credit for keeping us in position to be able to come back in the third."

In order to advance out of its pool, Liberty needs Delaware to defeat Providence (R.I.) College (which beat the Lady Flames on Tuesday and edged St. Thomas in overtime on Wednesday) in Thursday morning's first game and to defeat St. Thomas in Thursday's final round of pool play at 4:15 p.m. EST in the Centene Community Ice Center's Plager Arena. That would forge a three-way tie for first place in the pool as the Blue Hens would also be 2-1, and the winner would be determined by tie-breaking criteria that includes fewest goals allowed and greatest goal differential.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer