DI Lady Flames outscore Purcell Academy 25-5 to sweep three-game series

Friday, September 26

Lynchburg, VA

1:30 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Purcell Hockey Academy

DI Lady Flames outscore Purcell Academy 25-5 to sweep three-game series

9/28/2025 10:53:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey

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Sophomore forward Presley Ellis’ natural hat trick in the third period of Game 3 helped Liberty turn a 3-2 deficit into an 11-3 demolition on Sunday.

Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team showcased its offensive firepower in this weekend's three-game series sweep of Purcell Hockey Academy's U19 team from British Columbia, Canada, at the LaHaye Ice Center, winning 7-0 on Friday, 7-2 on Saturday, and 11-3 on Sunday to conclude its preseason at 4-0.

"It was a real good weekend," Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "That's a decent team, and we got some decent touches. This was their first skate as a team and they were coming off a long travel day, (with a) 20-hour drive to get here. I was really happy they made the trip down. They won Game 3 last year, so we didn't know what to expect. We made a lot of positive steps. We improved some things, and we got some good video."

In Friday's opener, sophomore forward Presley Ellis started the scoring in a four-goal first period before graduate Allison Shaw — a transfer from Adrian (Mich.) College who led the nation in scoring among defenseman and led them to a national championship in March 2024 — netted her first goal at Liberty. Graduate defenseman Sammy Peebles and graduate forward and head captain Brielle Fussy also scored in the opening 20 minutes. Junior forward Sierra McClinchey netted the only goal of the second period before junior forward Ellie Sarauer and graduate forward Isobel Pettem Shand — a transfer from Indiana Tech who was an All-ACHA DI First-Team selection as a freshman in 2021-22 — capped the scoring in the third.

"We had a really, really strong period where we finished and got control of the game," Lowes said. "Overall, it was a good first game for us, and we saw good chemistry and consistency. We had some things we placed as priorities as a team and did a pretty good job of prioritizing them. We wanted to get our new girls up to speed, and play defensive-first as a team. (Senior goalie Alex) Keith posted a shutout and our D did a good job of not giving them odd-man rushes and made them work for their chances. I'd call that a victory."

In the series finale on Sunday, Liberty ended a scoreless tie with 1 minute, 34 seconds remaining in the first period when sophomore forward Brooklyn Voortman finished feeds from Ellis and Pettem Shand.

Just 37.4 seconds later, Purcell forward Flora Pasztor from Hungary scored off an assist from Aneta Paroubkova from Czechia and the teams entered the second period tied at 1.

Liberty seized a 2-1 lead on an unassisted score by Fussy before Purcell scored back-to-back goals in a 19-second spurt midway through the second period to seize a 3-2 lead.

However, the Lady Flames proceeded to net four goals in a 4:36 span late in the frame, off the sticks of graduate forward and alternate captain Haley Battles, junior forward Ellie Sarauer, graduate forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek, and senior defenseman and alternate captain Emerson Oakes.

Liberty then broke open a 6-3 game with five more goals in the final stanza, starting with a natural hat trick by Ellis in the first seven minutes of the period. Her first two scores came off assists from senior forward Brookelyn Beauchamp and Pettem Shand before the third — a quick turnaround shot from the high slot — was set up by Beauchamp's crossing pass and secondary assist from sophomore defenseman Isabella Pelletier.

"Ellis had a great game," Lowes said. "Her line with Iso (Pettem Shand) and Beauchamp did a lot of good things, which was nice to see. We saw a little bit of chemistry today. We fell behind, but I really liked our response."

Beauchamp slammed home a cross-crease assist from Pettem Shand with a one-timer from deep in the slot to give Liberty a commanding 10-3 advantage.

Battles then helped stretch it to 11-3 with a phenomenal recovery in the left corner. She lost possession of the puck on a drive through the left circle and tumbled awkwardly into the backboards before alertly getting back up and controlling the loose puck that bounced her way before sending an entry pass to junior forward Tristan Craig in the right crease for a point-blank shot for the game's final goal.

Craig said the carryover from last season has helped smooth the transition this fall.

"We've got four strong lines, and all four lines work together as a team," she said. "We've got a lot of the same girls, that really helps in keeping our team set, and adding Pettem Shand has helped that line."

Freshman goalie Emma Jane McDonald allowed three goals but made 15 saves to win her first start between the pipes for the Lady Flames.
Craig said there are still plenty of aspects of their game that the Lady Flames can fine-tune in practices this week.

"We need to work on puck possession and scoring on odd-man rushes," Craig said. "We did a lot of good things in the D zone today, where Shaw is a great add to our team. That was one thing I worked on as a center, making sure I'm in my position, making sure we're talking, and playing as a unit."

The Lady Flames, who won their seventh national championship since 2015 and sixth in eight seasons under Lowes last March near St. Louis, will open ACHA play next Friday at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against the University of Utah. The Utes (2-0) swept New Mexico in their opening series this weekend by 11-1 and 10-0 scores.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer