Her debut in a women's league came at age 13, in a Naisten Suomi-sarja game between S-Kiekko and the Kisa-Eagles on 7 February 2015, where she scored the sixth goal in a 10–0 whitewash.

[1] At age 16, Liikala considered joining Team Kuortane of the Kuortaneen urheilulukio in Kuortane, 42 km (26 mi) east of Seinäjoki, where a significant number of players from the Finnish national U18 team played and attended secondary school (Finnish: lukio).

Ultimately, she felt that Kuortane was too close to home and opted instead to sign with HPK Kiekkonaiset and continue her studies in Hämeenlinna, 235 km (146 mi) away.

[2] As a junior player with the Finnish national U18 team, Liikala participated in three IIHF World Women's U18 Championships, winning a bronze medal in 2019.

[7][8][9] Liikala ultimately made her World Championship debut in 2021, recording two assists in seven games and winning bronze.