DI Lady Flames upend Utes in first-ever meeting, 10-0

Friday, October 3

Lynchburg, VA

1:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

University of Utah

DI Lady Flames upend Utes in first-ever meeting, 10-0

10/3/2025 7:34:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey

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Fueled by its defense, which provided two goals and two assists from the point, Liberty pulled away from Utah by capitalizing on three power plays.

Junior forward Ellie Sarauer, senior forward Brookelyn Beauchamp, and graduate forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek both scored twice to spark Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey to a 10-0 triumph over the University of Utah in the first-ever meeting between the two teams, Friday afternoon at the LaHaye Ice Center.

"This was our first ACHA game so we're very happy with the amount of goals and the execution we had, and our discipline on the ice as well," said junior defenseman Sophia Adamek, who netted one goal and distributed three assists. "That was a huge factor. We didn't have any penalties in this game, and we've been harping on that so that was good to see."

"We're really thankful," Assistant Coach Frank Keating added after the Lady Flames improved to 5-0, 1-0 in ACHA DI play. "The girls are starting to click. They're getting used to playing with each other, and we just hope that continues as we move on into the season. It was a great first game for us. We were fortunate, our ladies right from the start were able to get the puck in the offensive zone and we controlled the game for the most part."

After opening a 3-0 lead following the first period, the Lady Flames capitalized on three of their four power-play opportunities — scoring two of their three goals in the second period and one of their four in the third with a 5-on-4 advantage.

"We've been working on power play a lot in practice so it's good to see execution, for sure," Adamek said. "We've mixed our lines up a little bit, and Brookelyn Beauchamp had two really nice shots, same with Zosia, and her line with Ellie and (graduate forward and head captain) Brielle (Fussy) has really been producing, so it's good to see."

Senior goalie and alternate captain Alex Keith was rarely tested, as Liberty outshot Utah by a commanding 62-7 margin, but she made all seven saves to preserve her second shutout in as many starts this season.

"In the second period had a couple close-in shots and there was one in the third due to a tactical error by us to allow them to get a good shot, but Alex came up with some great saves," Keating said.

"Another shutout, that's two in a row," Sophia Adamek added. "She's got 100 percent right now, so that's good for her. She's an assistant captain and very well deserving of it. She provides lots of leadership for the whole team in the changing room and in the net as well. It's good to have her back there. We can trust her, and she communicates with us and lets us know what's happening."

After Sarauer started the scoring just 1:38 after the opening faceoff by finishing the first of Sophia Adamek's three assists, sophomore defenseman Jules LaFaive converted a feed from sophomore forward Brooke Olson exactly a minute later. Zosia Adamek then capped the first-period scoring and started the second stanza with back-to-back goals assisted by graduate defenseman Allison Shaw, the second on a power play.

"Our defense, we've been working on our point shots, so that was definitely a big factor today, just getting shots off from the point and lots of traffic in front of the net and getting those pucks in," Sophia Adamek said of LaFaive's goal.

"We did what we wanted to," Keating added. "We wanted to have the points get some good shots and they had some good looks and some good shots on net. We had a couple defensemen score, and we had a couple that got tipped, so it was a great low-to-high game for us. We were very happy with the way the defense played, not only in the offensive zone, but in the neutral zone. We were able to keep them from getting into our zone, and that was key."

Beauchamp netted both of her goals off assists from sophomore forward Presley Ellis—sandwiching goals by Shaw, Sarauer, and junior forward Tristan Craig — before Sophia Adamek concluded the scoring in a scramble in front by putting away assists from graduate forward Isobel Pattem-Shand and sophomore forward Sienna McClinchey to put the Lady Flames in double digits in scoring for the second time in the past four games.

Midway through the third period, Fussy went down after a collision along the left boards.

"Brielle took a hit to the midsection, lower rib cage, but I think she's going to be OK," Keating said. "We'll see how she's doing tonight and have a trainer clear her for tomorrow."

The Lady Flames and Utes will face off again in an 11:45 a.m. rematch Saturday back at the LaHaye Ice Center.

"We just want to continue to execute on offense and play our game, not play down to their level," Sophia Adamek said. "We just need to continue to be simple, be fast, get pucks deep, and lots of traffic in front of the net, and get lots of good shots."

"Our goal is to continue to play our game and that's to be strong defensively and turn it into the offense and work that puck around to look for the best shot," Keating added.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer