BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh returns home for the first time in nearly two weeks, as the Mountain Hawks open a three game homestand against the La Salle Explorers, Friday afternoon at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks (3-4) are returning to action for the first time since Saturday, when Lehigh’s three game winning streak was snapped with a 2-1 setback at Columbia.
Senior Christy Smith tallied Lehigh’s only goal in the loss to the Lions, but it has been junior forwards Kalynn Davies and Kara Zweizig who have led the way offensively for the Brown and White. Davies is enjoying a breakthrough year and leads Lehigh with five goals and 11 points, including a hat-trick against Georgetown last time Lehigh played at home. Zweizig is not far behind with four goals, but two of them have been game-winners for the Mountain Hawks. Freshman goalkeeper Jessica Miller has done her part to keep Lehigh in games. Miller leads the Patriot League, averaging seven saves per contest.
La Salle brings a 5-4 record into Friday’s game. The Explorers were victorious over Lafayette 2-1 in their last game on Sunday. Lehigh is the third Patriot League team La Salle will face this year. The Explorers lost 1-0 to Bucknell on September 14. Sophomore Kara Harpel has been La Salle’s top offensive threat, with six goals and 14 points. Senior Ellen Axelsen has seen nearly all the time in the goal cage.
Lehigh leads the all-time series with La Salle 13-10-2, but it was the Explorers who earned a 1-0 overtime win last year in Philadelphia. The last meeting here in Bethlehem was in 2002, when Lehigh earned a 3-0 victory.
Friday’s game gets underway at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast online at Lehighsports.com with streaming video powered by Yahoo! Sports.
