Head Coach Bethany Fowle (in pink) and Assistant Coach Mikayla Johnson are surrounded by a talented roster of players looking to go far this spring.
Women’s ultimate breaks seed at second competition of spring semester
3/3/2026 2:46:00 PM | Women's Ultimate
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The 15th-seeded Liberty Flames finished 4-0 in pool play before going 2-2 in playoffs to finish sixth at the Commonwealth Cup in Axton, Va.
Liberty University's women's ultimate team entered this past weekend's Commonwealth Cup Tournament in Axton, Va., as the No. 15 seed in the 28-team tournament field, but turned out to be one of the biggest surprises by finishing in sixth place.
On the first day of competition, the Lady Flames won all four of their pool-play matches, dominating No.23 Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) University, 13-3, nipping No.18 University of South Carolina,9-8, and defeating No. 26 Case Western Reserve (Ohio) University, 13-7, and No. 10 Brown (R.I.) University, 13-8.
That qualified them for Sunday's championship bracket where they split their four matches. Liberty upset No. 4 Cornell (N.Y.) University, 12-7, before facing No. 2 University of Pennsylvania and falling, 13-7. The Lady Flames responded by overcoming No. 8 Ohio State University, 12-9, before battling No. 6 University of Georgia in the fifth-place final and coming up just short, 12-10.
"The players rose to the challenge of taking on teams that were seeded higher than us," Lady Flames Assistant Coach Mikayla Johnson said. "In this tournament, on offense, we emphasized working the break side of the field and engaging our deep game. On defense, our goal was to hold our force on handlers and play tight against cutters, forcing the other team to make tough decisions about where to throw."
Liberty's offense was anchored by its core handlers of sophomore Mallory Clark, who assisted 32 scores, graduate Grace Wilson, who assisted 30 goals, and senior Marina Abila, who assisted 17 scores. Sophomore Kate Lyle and junior Rachel Grant were also key players on offense, creating separation from the defense and keeping the disc alive.
The Lady Flames' cutters were led by sophomore Maddie Clark, who scored 36 of the team's 89 points over the weekend, complemented by seniors Haylee Goral, Evalee Baker, and Abby Lasko, and sophomore Aniyah Young.
On defense the Lady Flames rotated between man-to-man defense and zone formations.
Freshman Samantha "SJ" Grimes, sophomore Anne Rawn, and junior Courtney Trahant played well in the cup of the zone defense, forcing several turnovers as they worked to trap the handler on the sideline and prevent opponents from crashing in and resetting the stall. Mallory Clark played 47 defensive points and recorded a team-high 16 defensive breakups or forced turnovers.
Many teams accepted Liberty's invitations to join in post-game spirit circles, where the coaches highlighted key players and team members prayed with their opponents.
"By playing at a higher level and at more competitive tournaments, we welcome the opportunity to share our faith with other teams that we don't often get to see throughout the season," Johnson said.
The Lady Flames are looking forward to more opportunities to witness to, serve, and play against others on their upcoming trip to the High Tide Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., over spring break from March 13-20.
By Amory Doyle/Student Writer The Lady Flames are looking forward to traveling to serve and play in the High Tide Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., over spring break.
