DII women, ranked No. 1 in Southeast Region, sweep No. 2 Navy in spring-opening series

Saturday, February 7

Lynchburg, VA

7:15 PM

Liberty University Club Sports

Navy

Sophomore forward Cora Williams leads the Lady Flames with 31 goals on the season. (Photos by Travis Clayton and Ryan Anderson)

DII women, ranked No. 1 in Southeast Region, sweep No. 2 Navy in spring-opening series

2/9/2026 6:02:00 PM | Women's D2 Hockey

The Lady Flames played for the first time in 77 days before concluding the regular season this weekend at home against Villanova.

Gallery: (2-9-2026) DII women's hockey Va. Tech, High Point

After having its trip to Villanova canceled by snow last weekend and its scheduled matchup with High Point go down as a forfeit by the Panthers on Friday, Liberty University's ACHA Division II women's hockey team finally opened spring semester competition with a sweep of the Naval Academy on Saturday and Sunday at the LaHaye Ice Center.

The Lady Flames (18-2), who hadn't played since routing West Chester (Pa.) University and Virginia Tech by 20-0 and 16-0 scores in a Women's Atlantic Coast Conference (WACCHL) Showcase at the LIC on Nov. 21-22, knocked rust off their skates from the 77-day lull in competition. They nipped the Midshipwomen — the first-place team in the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference — by a 4-3 final on Saturday night and 3-1 count on Sunday morning.

Liberty, which had only played six DVCHC contests — series splits with Delaware and Rowan and a sweep of Maryland — prior to this weekend, and found itself in the middle of the standings, was ranked No. 1 in the Southeast Region with Navy at No. 2 before the showdown.

The Lady Flames jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the Midshipmen after the first period of the opener on goals by graduate defenseman Kate Walhof at the 14:19 mark and by sophomore forward Abby Rogers and junior forward Cora Williams just 20 seconds apart 10 minutes later.

Navy (13-6) pulled back within 3-2 on goals by Samantha Clark and Elise Jacobs — a shorthanded score assisted by Clark — early in the second and third periods before the Lady Flames netted the game winner on an unassisted power play goal by freshman forward Pimsiri Wilhelmy with 13:05 remaining in regulation after an elbow penalty against Jacobs.

Liberty outshot the Midshipwomen, 42-40, and senior goalie Abby Hodsden (27 saves, 3 goals allowed) and senior Abby Manzewitsch (10 saves) combined for the win in net.

In Sunday's rematch, Clark started the scoring for Navy at the 17:14 mark of the first period before Wilhelmy netted the equalizer with 12:08 to play in the period by finishing assists from sophomore forward Calissa Klein and senior forward Brylie Beddell.

Then, in the second, Liberty recorded the game winner and the insurance score just 1:46 apart. Senior forward Guin Donovan scored off assists from freshman forward Arianna Pastoor and Williams at the 12:57 mark before graduate defenseman Madison Natter capped the scoring with 11:11 to play in the period, finishing a feed from Pastoor.

The Lady Flames outshot the Midshipwomen 34-30 and graduate goalie Kylie Mebs made 29 saves to clinch the series sweep, improving to 4-0 on the season while lowering her goals-against average to 1.49 and raising her save percentage to 92.2.

Before the game, Liberty honored Beddell, Donovan, Hodsden, Manzewitsch, and senior defenseman Emma Wallace on Senior Day.

This weekend, the Lady Flames will host DVCHC rival Villanova (10-4-1) in the final two regular-season games on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at the LIC before traveling to compete in the DVCHC Playoffs in Aston, Pa., from Feb. 27-March 1. That will be the last competition before Liberty returns to the ACHA DII National Championships for a third straight season from March 17-22 in Maryland Heights, Mo., near St. Louis.

Video edited by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media