Dykstra captures Lehigh's third straight ROY award

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Freshman Lauren Dykstra was named the 2008 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Year, it was announced on Thursday evening at the pre-tournament banquet. Dykstra led Lehigh with 61 goals and 76 points during the regular season. Her 61 goals are the most scored by a freshman in program history. This marks the third consecutive year that the Mountain Hawks have earned this award after Sara MacIntyre won it in 2006 and Inneke Carmola was honored last year. Colgate was the last league school to win three straight Rookie of the Year awards in women’s lacrosse (1995-97).

Dykstra pieced together the single greatest season for a freshman in Lehigh women’s lacrosse history. Her 61 goals scored are the most by any Lehigh player since 1995 and ranked second in the entire Patriot League. The New Jersey native found the back of the net in every game this season, including a career-high eight times in a win over archrival Lafayette. Dykstra scored three or more goals on 12 occasions and she notched a career-best nine points at Fairfield.

The first year standout also scooped up 44 ground balls, won 28 draw controls, and caused eight turnovers. Dykstra registered a season-best eight ground balls versus Canisius and won four draw controls in three different games. 12 of her goals were of the free-position variety and two were game-winners. Dykstra collected five Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards during the season, which ties Colgate’s Katie McVeigh (2003) for the most ever.

Lehigh heads to the nation’s capital this weekend to compete in the 2008 Patriot League Tournament. The third seeded Mountain Hawks are joined by the top seed and host American Eagles, second-seeded Colgate and the No. 4 seed Navy. Lehigh and Colgate meet in one semifinal on Friday afternoon with the winner taking on the Navy - American semfinal winner on Sunday in the Patriot League Championship. This is the Brown and White’s fourth PL Tournament appearance (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008); it has never won the tournament but does own the 1994 regular season crown.

Lehigh’s 221 goals this season are the most in the 33-year history of the program. Those 221 scores are the second most in the Patriot League behind only Navy, and the Mountain Hawks 13.6 goals per game average is 14th best in America. Lehigh notched back-to-back 20-goal games earlier this season (St. Francis, Lafayette), marking the first time in program history that has happened.

The Mountain Hawks begin their quest for a Patriot League Championship on Friday afternoon when they take on No. 2 Colgate in the semifinals of the 2008 Tournament in Washington, D.C on the campus of American University. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 and all of the action will be broadcast live on Lehighsports.com with Jeff Tourial and Steve Lomangino on the call.

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Dykstra captures Lehigh's third straight ROY award

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