WEST POINT, N.Y. – Lehigh kicked off the 2005 season on a high note Friday night, as the Mountain Hawks shut out the University at Buffalo by a 2-0 score in the BAE Systems Classic at Army’s Clinton Field. Two of Lehigh’s captains found the back of the net as the Mountain Hawks win their season opener for the second straight year.
The Mountain Hawks came out strong, out shooting Buffalo 14-5 in the opening half. The Brown and White got on the scoreboard 26 minutes in, when off a corner kick senior Megan Edwards headed the ball to freshman Christin Johnson, who directed it to junior Gina Lewandowski, who buried the ball in the back of the net for her 28th career goal and Lehigh led 1-0.
Later, the Mountain Hawks would extend the lead when Lewandowski found Edwards on the run and the senior fired a blast from 20 yards out that beat Buffalo keeper Anna-Lesa Calvert for her first career goal. The Bulls increased the pressure but the Lehigh defense, which pitched eight shutouts last year, tightened up and kept Buffalo off the board. Freshman Julie Kafka played the full 90 minutes in goal, making three saves to earn her first career win and shutout.
“This was a great first performance for our team,” said head coach Manny Oudin afterwards. “We played really well in the first half, relaxed a little bit in the second half but still kept them off the board. Overall, this is a really good first result.”
For the game the Mountain Hawks out shot the Bulls 22-17 and had seven corner kicks to Buffalo’s five.
The Mountain Hawks return to the pitch on Sunday to play their second and final game in the BAE Systems Classic. Lehigh will take on Manhattan with kickoff set for 3:30 from Army’s Clinton Field.
