Lady Flames double up Midland 4-2 in final for sixth WMCH crown in seven years

Saturday, February 21

Fremont, NE

4:00 PM (EST)

Liberty University Club Sports

Midland University

Lady Flames defenseman Sophia Adamek skates past a Midland player in the February 24, 2024 WMCH Tournament final at the LaHaye Ice Center.

Lady Flames double up Midland 4-2 in final for sixth WMCH crown in seven years

2/21/2026 11:54:00 PM | Women's D1 Hockey

Seven-time defending ACHA DI national champion Liberty extended its winning streak to 13 games by rallying past the host Warriors for its third straight conference tournament championship.

Liberty University's No. 1-ranked ACHA Division I women's hockey team overcame a 1-0 deficit after the first period and emerged with a 4-2 triumph over No. 2 Midland (Neb.) University in Saturday's WMCH Tournament final at Sidnor Ice Arena in Fremont, Neb.

The Lady Flames (33-0-1), who won the first three WMCH Tournament titles before being dethroned by Midland, 2-1, at Maryville (Mo.) University near St. Louis, captured their third consecutive crown and second over the Warriors. Liberty defeated Midland, 3-2, in the 2024 tournament final that it hosted at the LaHaye Ice Center.

"Midland's a really good hockey team and to go into their ice and beat them in front of their fans felt really good," Lady Flames Head Coach Chris Lowes said. "It was a really high-level hockey game and really competitive. They're a tough team to play against. I am really excited for our girls to get it done and bring the trophy back to Lynchburg. It's pretty awesome, especially in the conference we have, which is a who's who of some of the top teams in the country."

Midland (27-4-4) scored first at the 7:40 mark of the first period on the power play when Kiara McGregor launched a shot from the top of the right circle and Darbi Poole slipped a putback from deep in the slot past senior goalie Alex Keith.

The Warriors, who outshot the Lady Flames 33-28 for the game, nearly doubled their lead on a shot from the slot off the stick of Callie McGuire, but it was ruled that the puck did not cross over the goal line before Keith (31 saves) was able to clear it out.

Given the reprieve, the Lady Flames responded to tie the game on a power play with 16:33 left in the second period. Head captain Brielle Fussy skated around the back side of the net and sent a pass across the goalmouth to graduate forward Isobel Pettem-Shand for a point-blank finish past Midland goalie Natalie Rampton in the left crease.

"I was really proud of our team for responding," Lowes said. "Our energy was really good, and we really capitalized on that power play, with Fussy sending a great feed to Pettem-Shand backdoor."

Less than a minute later, senior defenseman Victoria Khou intercepted a pass in the left circle and nearly put Liberty on top, but her shot was partially blocked by Midland defenseman Haley Blaine and ricocheted off the post.

Four of the game's six goals were scored in the third period. The Lady Flames seized their first lead of the contest just 98 seconds in when sophomore forward Sienna McClinchey, stationed near the right crease, one-timed a backhand past Rampton for a 2-1 advantage. Sophomore forward Presley Ellis and graduate forward and alternate captain Zosia Adamek recorded assists.

"Sienna played a lot of minutes and played a big role for us," Lowes said. "I am really happy for her perseverance."

Liberty manufactured an insurance goal when Adamek, left all alone as she skated through the left circle, received a backhanded pass from Pettem-Shand from along the backboards that rolled on its edge into the left crease for an easy finish, extending the lead to 3-1.

That turned out to be a critical goal after Jaden Greenlee's shot from the high slot beat Keith under the crossbar with 10:47 remaining in regulation to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Liberty's defense tightened up and the Warriors resorted to pulling Rampton for the final 2:10. But the move backfired when senior forward and alternate captain Haley Battles converted an empty-netter on s shot from the left side of the red line with 18 seconds to go.

The Lady Flames will have three weeks to prepare to defend their ACHA Division I national title, which they won for the seventh time in 11 seasons last spring, from March 17-22 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo.

"We are a little banged up and I am proud of the girls, a lot of whom stepped up and played big minutes," Lowes said. "We might have an opportunity to get (senior forward Brookelyn) Beachamp, (sophomore forward Hayley) Lee, and (freshman forward Chloe) Moses back, and that bodes well for us for naitonals. We will get a bunch of practices in and try to get dialed in and healthy. We're peaking at the right time now, hopefully for St. Louis."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer