Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Friday, October 23
Adrian, MI
4:00 PM
Liberty University Club Sports
at
Adrian College
Senior defenseman and head captain Sophia Adamek fires a shot past an Adrian College player in a game played last season. (Photos by Emily Cuthrell)
10/23/2026 7:40:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey
Freshman forward Evie McGonagle contributed an assist and a goal and graduate Brookelyn Beauchamp capped the scoring with back-to-back breakaways.
Liberty University's ACHA Division I women's hockey team, which debuted at No. 2 in this week's national rankings, broke open a one-goal lead after the first period by outscoring host Adrian (Mich.) College 2-0 in the second period and 3-0 in the third in a 7-1 victory, Friday afternoon at Arrington Ice Arena.Â
For the Lady Flames (6-2) — who snapped both a two-game losing skid and the Bulldogs' three-game winning streak — the series against 2024 national champion Adrian (6-5) is a rematch of their 2018 National Championship final triumph — the first of six titles in Head Coach Chris Lowes' first season at the helm. The Bulldogs are in the midst of a rebuild after graduating a solid corps of seniors and undergoing a coaching staff change.
Just nine seconds into a Liberty power play, senior defenseman and head captain Sophia Adamek struck first with a goal at the 15:24 mark from deep in the left circle into the top-left corner of the cage past Adrian goalie Pippa Holmes off a short pass from freshman forward Evie McGonagle in the slot.
"It was good to get that one, and get on the board early," Lowes said. "We went 2-for-5 on the power play, so it was good to see our special teams get going a little bit."
Just over five minutes later, the Lady Flames doubled their advantage on a shot by freshman defenseman Charlotte Lawson from the top of the right circle that ricocheted past Holmes after glancing off the helmet and stick of an Adrian defenseman guarding Liberty senior forward Sienna McClinchey as she skated across the right crease.
Adrian got one goal back later in the first period before the Lady Flames reclaimed control with two goals in the opening 7 minutes of the second period. Adamek set up the first by intercepting a puck as she retreated through the neutral zone before reversing direction and skating it across the blue line before sending a backhanded assist to junior right wing Brooke Olson as she barreled through the slot. Olson's one-timed shot deflected off the stick of Holmes and flipped over her shoulder into the back of the net for a 3-1 Liberty lead at the 17:25 mark.
"In the first period, they had most of their shots, their most chances, and got their goal," Lowes said, noting Liberty outshot Adrian, 44-21. "We settled in a little bit the longer the game went on."
Four minutes later, freshman forward Marissa Richard skated the puck from behind the Bulldogs' cage into the left crease and dished an assist into the slot where graduate forward Allison Greene chipped a point-blank shot over the glove of a diving Holmes into the right side of the net to stretch the advantage to 4-1.
The Lady Flames punctuated the lopsided win with three long driving scores, the first by McGonagle with 12:51 remaining in regulation after she took a short outlet pass from graduate defenseman Hailey Terpstra and skated the puck across both blue lines up the left wing before finishing with a shot from in the left crease.
Graduate forward and alternate captain Brookelyn Beauchamp netted the last two goals on back-to-back breakaway opportunities in the final 1:11. With Liberty on a power play, she received a fast-break feed in the slot from fellow graduate forward and alternate captain Tristan Craig on an odd-man rush through the left circle and lifted a wrist shot over Holmes' right shoulder. Just 47 seconds later, Beauchamp replicated her shot unassisted after skating the puck up the left wing and cutting back past a defenseman into the open slot.
"It was a good Game 1 for the road trip," Lowes said. "We are happy to get a solid win. Beauchamp's two breakaway goals to end the game stretched it open. (Graduate goalie and alternate captain Alex) Keith (20 saves) played solid in net, and we did enough (offensively). Now we've got to follow it up with a really solid Game 2."
The Lady Flames were coming off back-to-back home losses to now-No. 1 Michigan Dearborn, but they rank ahead of No. 3 Midland (Neb.) University, which dethroned Liberty in triple overtime for its first national title last March near St. Louis.
"Everyone's figuring out where we're at," Lowes said. "The first rankings came out this week and we were No. 2, but we'll be dropping. Midland is 10-0 with better scores."
The Lady Flames will have a quick turnaround before meeting the Bulldogs for a rematch at 11 a.m. Saturday, streamed live by Adrian Hockey TV, before embarking on their 12-hour road trip back to Lynchburg, Va. Junior goalie Brooklyn Adams is the projected starter for Liberty in Game 2.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Adrian Hockey TV
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For the Lady Flames (6-2) — who snapped both a two-game losing skid and the Bulldogs' three-game winning streak — the series against 2024 national champion Adrian (6-5) is a rematch of their 2018 National Championship final triumph — the first of six titles in Head Coach Chris Lowes' first season at the helm. The Bulldogs are in the midst of a rebuild after graduating a solid corps of seniors and undergoing a coaching staff change.
Just nine seconds into a Liberty power play, senior defenseman and head captain Sophia Adamek struck first with a goal at the 15:24 mark from deep in the left circle into the top-left corner of the cage past Adrian goalie Pippa Holmes off a short pass from freshman forward Evie McGonagle in the slot.
"It was good to get that one, and get on the board early," Lowes said. "We went 2-for-5 on the power play, so it was good to see our special teams get going a little bit."
Just over five minutes later, the Lady Flames doubled their advantage on a shot by freshman defenseman Charlotte Lawson from the top of the right circle that ricocheted past Holmes after glancing off the helmet and stick of an Adrian defenseman guarding Liberty senior forward Sienna McClinchey as she skated across the right crease.
Adrian got one goal back later in the first period before the Lady Flames reclaimed control with two goals in the opening 7 minutes of the second period. Adamek set up the first by intercepting a puck as she retreated through the neutral zone before reversing direction and skating it across the blue line before sending a backhanded assist to junior right wing Brooke Olson as she barreled through the slot. Olson's one-timed shot deflected off the stick of Holmes and flipped over her shoulder into the back of the net for a 3-1 Liberty lead at the 17:25 mark.
"In the first period, they had most of their shots, their most chances, and got their goal," Lowes said, noting Liberty outshot Adrian, 44-21. "We settled in a little bit the longer the game went on."
Four minutes later, freshman forward Marissa Richard skated the puck from behind the Bulldogs' cage into the left crease and dished an assist into the slot where graduate forward Allison Greene chipped a point-blank shot over the glove of a diving Holmes into the right side of the net to stretch the advantage to 4-1.
The Lady Flames punctuated the lopsided win with three long driving scores, the first by McGonagle with 12:51 remaining in regulation after she took a short outlet pass from graduate defenseman Hailey Terpstra and skated the puck across both blue lines up the left wing before finishing with a shot from in the left crease.
Graduate forward and alternate captain Brookelyn Beauchamp netted the last two goals on back-to-back breakaway opportunities in the final 1:11. With Liberty on a power play, she received a fast-break feed in the slot from fellow graduate forward and alternate captain Tristan Craig on an odd-man rush through the left circle and lifted a wrist shot over Holmes' right shoulder. Just 47 seconds later, Beauchamp replicated her shot unassisted after skating the puck up the left wing and cutting back past a defenseman into the open slot.
"It was a good Game 1 for the road trip," Lowes said. "We are happy to get a solid win. Beauchamp's two breakaway goals to end the game stretched it open. (Graduate goalie and alternate captain Alex) Keith (20 saves) played solid in net, and we did enough (offensively). Now we've got to follow it up with a really solid Game 2."
The Lady Flames were coming off back-to-back home losses to now-No. 1 Michigan Dearborn, but they rank ahead of No. 3 Midland (Neb.) University, which dethroned Liberty in triple overtime for its first national title last March near St. Louis.
"Everyone's figuring out where we're at," Lowes said. "The first rankings came out this week and we were No. 2, but we'll be dropping. Midland is 10-0 with better scores."
The Lady Flames will have a quick turnaround before meeting the Bulldogs for a rematch at 11 a.m. Saturday, streamed live by Adrian Hockey TV, before embarking on their 12-hour road trip back to Lynchburg, Va. Junior goalie Brooklyn Adams is the projected starter for Liberty in Game 2.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video by Adrian Hockey TV
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