Lehigh University
American
Lehigh upends American, advances to Championship game
11/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The teams played a scoreless first half, but Lehigh got on the board just six minutes into half number two. Sophomore Daniela Molina dribbled into the box and put a low shot past American keeper Alison Doyle to put the Mountain Hawks up 1-0. The Eagles would tie the game in the 65th minute as Jana Lee scored on a feed from Marcela Ricupero.
Lehigh would take the lead for good in the 69th minute when sophomore Gina Lewandowski, the Patriot League’s Offensive Player of the Year banged home a rebound of a Shannon Lockwood shot off a Jocelyn Helwig corner. Lockwood and Helwig were credited with assists. Helwig’s helper gives her 10 on the season and 25 for her career, both marks tie Dia Johnson’s school record.
Johnson would see one more record be tied on this night. With six minutes remaining, Doyle came out of her box, some 40 yards down field. Lewandowski came away with the ball, juked right, slipped past Doyle, dribbled the length of the field and slid the ball into the back of the net to give Lehigh a 3-1 lead. For Lewandowski, it was her 15th goal of the season, trying Johnson’s single season record.
“We came out a little nervous, but as we settled in we began to play well as a group,” said coach Manny Oudin.
“I’m impressed with the way all the girls rose to the occasion when we needed it the most.”
Erin Iwaskiewicz made five saves for the Mountain Hawks, who are now 12-7-0 on the year, 5-2 in the Patriot League. American falls to 11-6-2, 4-2-1.
Lehigh will face regular season champion Colgate on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Colgate needed a penalty shootout to get by Army in Friday’s first game. The Mountain Hawks handed the Raiders their only conference loss this season, a 1-0 defeat on October 23 in Bethlehem. Sunday’s game gets underway at 1:00 from Van Doren Field.
