Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Saturday, November 8
Lynchburg, VA
11:59 PM
Liberty University Club Sports
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Maryville University
Lady Flames replicate national championship atmosphere with second 2-1 Midnight Mayhem triumph over Maryville
11/9/2025 9:03:00 AM | Women's D1 Hockey
Liberty killed all five of its penalties and got goals from alternate captains Haley Battles and Zosia Adamek and another near shutout performance in net from Alex Keith.
A rematch of last season's national championship final between Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team and WMCH rival Maryville (Mo.) University turned into another tightly contested duel as the No. 2 Lady Flames skated to a 2-1 Midnight Mayhem victory over the No. 4 Saints early Sunday morning in the LaHaye Ice Center.
"With two top-five teams like that, they're usually one-goal games, with a bounce here or a bounce there (deciding the outcome)," Liberty Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "Our girls were excited for the Midnight game and that showed a little bit. We can settle in a little more (in Sunday's 4:30 p.m. rematch back at the LIC). The crowd was on our side this time instead of Maryville. We kind of flipped the script and got the result that we wanted."
The Lady Flames improved to 15-0 with their 25th consecutive win dating back to a 3-1 loss at Maryville on Jan. 30. They improved their all-time record against the 4-5 Saints to 12-1, and their last four victories in the series have been by 2-1 scores.
"Everyone came out with a new dialed attitude of just wanting to make sure that they don't get any revenge on us," Fussy said. "It was good to get it done in regulation this time, though."
Liberty won last season's first women's hockey Midnight Mayhem, 2-1 in overtime, before replicating the feat in double OT at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. — not far from the Saints' home rink and in front of a rowdy student-led crowd — for its ACHA DI women's hockey record seventh national title.
Cheered on by a College for A Weekend (CFAW) crowd, the Lady Flames found their second wind to overcome their sleep deprivation.
"Most of our girls are normally asleep, but it was basically adrenaline you're running off of, and the only thing you can control is your own effort," Fussy said. "At the end of the day, you just need to be making sure you're putting it all out there. We really appreciate the school coming out to support us in the late-night (affair). Our girls definitely fed off of their energy. It was good."
The Lady Flames got on the scoreboard first with a spectacular goal with 5:15 to play in the first period when graduate defenseman Allison Shaw stole the puck along the left boards near the red line and sent a pass to head captain Brielle Fussy in the high slot. She put a shot on net and fellow graduate forward Haley Battles gathered the rebound and lifted a point-blank backhand over Saints goalie Hannah Tresek into the upper netting for a 1-0 Liberty lead.
"Shaw had a really nice drop pass to me," Fussy said. "I eluded a forward and that left me wide open. Honestly, it was a puck that didn't feel dangerous leaving my stick, but as long as it gets on net and gets out front, Battles is great at burying the rebound and getting it up high."
Defensively, Lady Flames senior goalie and alternate captain Alex Keith (32 saves) stopped a breakaway opportunity by Maryville's Haley Beckett midway through the first period before gloving a dangerous right-circle shot by fellow forward Colleen O'Leary in the closing minute.
Early in the second period, Keith made two kick saves of angled shots from the perimeter before diving forward to smother a loose puck in front. With the Saints on a power play, she blocked Beckett's right-circle shot through traffic before Liberty junior forward Ellie Sarauer nearly finished a shorthanded feed from junior defenseman Sophia Adamek near the left post.
With Maryville on a 5-on-3 for 1:23 early in the third, Keith stood on her head and repelled a series of shots by the Saints from around the cage with support from the Lady Flames defensemen, maintaining the shutout.
Given the reprieve, Liberty doubled its lead moments later on a quick offensive rush with Isobel Pettem-Shand finding fellow graduate forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek in front for a point-blank putaway and a 2-0 advantage at the 12:33 mark.
"Really great move by her and a solid shot past the high glove off an assist from Pettem-Shand, who played well and was a big part," Lowes said of Adamek, who had netted the game winner in double overtime on a phenomenal move in last year's final.
"Nice to have another game winner under her belt," Fussy said. "Maryville's got to circle her on the scoresheet now."
O'Leary cut the deficit to 2-1 with 3:23 remaining in regulation by banking a sharp-angled shot off the back of Keith and in the goal from along the right endline.
"It was a great job by the PK today, making sure we can keep the momentum even with getting penalized," Fussy added. "Keith had an outstanding game where all they could do was bank one off her to score."
A minute later, following a turnover in the defensive end, Keith blocked a dangerous shot by Beckett before Saints forward Alycia Ross nearly netted the equalizer on a putback moments later.
"Keith played a great game," Lowes said. "She didn't love that goal at the end and hated to give that up late, but she looked really solid. With a lot of penalty kill time, your goalie's got to be your best penalty-killer, and Keith definitely was today."
Maryville outshot Liberty by a 33-26 margin and had five power-play opportunities to just one for the Lady Flames.
"Penalty kill was really big today, and they had a 5-on-3," Lowes said. "It was a real good challenge, a one-goal game where a couple bounces here or there can make a difference."
"Our discipline has to be a little better (in the rematch)," he added. "You're not going to survive giving a team like that five power-plays very often. We'll get that sorted out."
Fussy said the Lady Flames' veterans have given them an advantage on their competitors.Including graduate transfers Shaw and Pettem-Shand, she and two other returning forwards (returning alternate captains Battles and Zosia Adamek) chose to exercise their fifth year of eligibility by playing as graduate students.
"It's been a strong corps," Fussy said of the captaincy that includes senior defenseman Emerson Oakes and Keith. "I just love going to work every day with this team, which responds well to our leadership, and I think our leaders are doing a really great job."
She is hopeful the Lady Flames can keep their winning streak alive and complete the sweep of the Saints on Sunday.
"We need to come out with the same intensity, dial up our discipline a little bit, making sure we're not the more penalized team, and keep up our execution, too, making sure we put the puck away on the little chances we're given," Fussy said.
Lowes hopes Flames Nation will show up for today's 4:30 p.m. rematch.
"I think we'll be excited, and they will, too," he said. "We've been looking forward to this weekend and renewing the rivalry."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
"With two top-five teams like that, they're usually one-goal games, with a bounce here or a bounce there (deciding the outcome)," Liberty Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "Our girls were excited for the Midnight game and that showed a little bit. We can settle in a little more (in Sunday's 4:30 p.m. rematch back at the LIC). The crowd was on our side this time instead of Maryville. We kind of flipped the script and got the result that we wanted."
The Lady Flames improved to 15-0 with their 25th consecutive win dating back to a 3-1 loss at Maryville on Jan. 30. They improved their all-time record against the 4-5 Saints to 12-1, and their last four victories in the series have been by 2-1 scores.
"Everyone came out with a new dialed attitude of just wanting to make sure that they don't get any revenge on us," Fussy said. "It was good to get it done in regulation this time, though."
Liberty won last season's first women's hockey Midnight Mayhem, 2-1 in overtime, before replicating the feat in double OT at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. — not far from the Saints' home rink and in front of a rowdy student-led crowd — for its ACHA DI women's hockey record seventh national title.
Cheered on by a College for A Weekend (CFAW) crowd, the Lady Flames found their second wind to overcome their sleep deprivation.
"Most of our girls are normally asleep, but it was basically adrenaline you're running off of, and the only thing you can control is your own effort," Fussy said. "At the end of the day, you just need to be making sure you're putting it all out there. We really appreciate the school coming out to support us in the late-night (affair). Our girls definitely fed off of their energy. It was good."
The Lady Flames got on the scoreboard first with a spectacular goal with 5:15 to play in the first period when graduate defenseman Allison Shaw stole the puck along the left boards near the red line and sent a pass to head captain Brielle Fussy in the high slot. She put a shot on net and fellow graduate forward Haley Battles gathered the rebound and lifted a point-blank backhand over Saints goalie Hannah Tresek into the upper netting for a 1-0 Liberty lead.
"Shaw had a really nice drop pass to me," Fussy said. "I eluded a forward and that left me wide open. Honestly, it was a puck that didn't feel dangerous leaving my stick, but as long as it gets on net and gets out front, Battles is great at burying the rebound and getting it up high."
Defensively, Lady Flames senior goalie and alternate captain Alex Keith (32 saves) stopped a breakaway opportunity by Maryville's Haley Beckett midway through the first period before gloving a dangerous right-circle shot by fellow forward Colleen O'Leary in the closing minute.
Early in the second period, Keith made two kick saves of angled shots from the perimeter before diving forward to smother a loose puck in front. With the Saints on a power play, she blocked Beckett's right-circle shot through traffic before Liberty junior forward Ellie Sarauer nearly finished a shorthanded feed from junior defenseman Sophia Adamek near the left post.
With Maryville on a 5-on-3 for 1:23 early in the third, Keith stood on her head and repelled a series of shots by the Saints from around the cage with support from the Lady Flames defensemen, maintaining the shutout.
Given the reprieve, Liberty doubled its lead moments later on a quick offensive rush with Isobel Pettem-Shand finding fellow graduate forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek in front for a point-blank putaway and a 2-0 advantage at the 12:33 mark.
"Really great move by her and a solid shot past the high glove off an assist from Pettem-Shand, who played well and was a big part," Lowes said of Adamek, who had netted the game winner in double overtime on a phenomenal move in last year's final.
"Nice to have another game winner under her belt," Fussy said. "Maryville's got to circle her on the scoresheet now."
O'Leary cut the deficit to 2-1 with 3:23 remaining in regulation by banking a sharp-angled shot off the back of Keith and in the goal from along the right endline.
"It was a great job by the PK today, making sure we can keep the momentum even with getting penalized," Fussy added. "Keith had an outstanding game where all they could do was bank one off her to score."
A minute later, following a turnover in the defensive end, Keith blocked a dangerous shot by Beckett before Saints forward Alycia Ross nearly netted the equalizer on a putback moments later.
"Keith played a great game," Lowes said. "She didn't love that goal at the end and hated to give that up late, but she looked really solid. With a lot of penalty kill time, your goalie's got to be your best penalty-killer, and Keith definitely was today."
Maryville outshot Liberty by a 33-26 margin and had five power-play opportunities to just one for the Lady Flames.
"Penalty kill was really big today, and they had a 5-on-3," Lowes said. "It was a real good challenge, a one-goal game where a couple bounces here or there can make a difference."
"Our discipline has to be a little better (in the rematch)," he added. "You're not going to survive giving a team like that five power-plays very often. We'll get that sorted out."
Fussy said the Lady Flames' veterans have given them an advantage on their competitors.Including graduate transfers Shaw and Pettem-Shand, she and two other returning forwards (returning alternate captains Battles and Zosia Adamek) chose to exercise their fifth year of eligibility by playing as graduate students.
"It's been a strong corps," Fussy said of the captaincy that includes senior defenseman Emerson Oakes and Keith. "I just love going to work every day with this team, which responds well to our leadership, and I think our leaders are doing a really great job."
She is hopeful the Lady Flames can keep their winning streak alive and complete the sweep of the Saints on Sunday.
"We need to come out with the same intensity, dial up our discipline a little bit, making sure we're not the more penalized team, and keep up our execution, too, making sure we put the puck away on the little chances we're given," Fussy said.
Lowes hopes Flames Nation will show up for today's 4:30 p.m. rematch.
"I think we'll be excited, and they will, too," he said. "We've been looking forward to this weekend and renewing the rivalry."
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
Players Mentioned
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