Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh set for tourney after winning some hardware
11/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Bethlehem, PA – The votes are in and they have been tallied. The Lehigh men’s soccer team placed five players on the All-Patriot League Teams, which was released Wednesday. Seniors Doug Cusick and Steve Fisher were both first team selections, while senior Wes Roach, junior Sam Bishop and sophomore Peter Classi were each second-team picks.
Fisher led the Mountain Hawks in scoring with eight goals and 16 points on the season. The former MAC Rookie of the Year at Lebanon Valley College before transferring to Lehigh has had a flair for the dramatic during his time on South Mountain, with seven of his 18 career goals coming as game-winners. Cusick makes the All-Patriot League Team for the fourth consecutive year, but for the first time is a first team selection. Cusick was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2000 and has helped anchor the Mountain Hawk defense for the past two seasons, after moving from mid-fielder after his sophomore season.
Roach, Bishop and Classi are all first time selections. A co-captain, Roach capped off a brilliant career, in which he has started all 78 games, and become one of the most reliable defenders Lehigh has seen in some time. Roach has continued to improve each season, capped off by his senior year, in which he was one of the toughest defenders in all of the Patriot League. Bishop, who has already tied a school record with nine shutouts this season, had a very solid season in his first year as a starter between the pipes for the Mountain Hawks. Bishop has a 0.67 goals against average on the season, recording 76 saves along the way in 1794 minutes of action. Classi was tied for second on the team with three assists and was also tied for third with two goals. He was also second on the team in both shots and shots on goal.
Head Coach Dean Koski is pleased to see the team be rewarded for its play this season. “This is certainly good individual recognition for our program. Many were surprised to see that Wes was only a Second-Team selection, after the outstanding season he had. He was always up to the challenge of shutting down the opposition’s offense, and had a realistic shot at capturing the Defensive Player of the Year Award.”
The Mountain Hawks will continue their season on Friday when Lehigh squares off with Bucknell in the opening round of the Patriot League Tournament in Lewisburg. The two teams met on October 18 at Bucknell and played to a 2-2 tie in double overtime. Koski says the team is ready and knows it will have to be on top of its game in order to pick a win. “We’ve got the best team in the league that we’re competing against, and it’s at their place. This is certainly a daunting task, but we’re ready and we’ll come out aggressive.”
Will Koski and the Mountain Hawks change their approach to the game after having played the Bison earlier this season? “We will come out the same way we did when we played them last month,” Koski predicts. “Hopefully, our defense will play better than it did that day, but we won’t change a thing from that game.” The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 and will be broadcast live via cell phone on Lehigh’s website at lehighsports.com.
