Lehigh opens PL slate versus defending champs
10/1/2009 3:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following an eight day layoff, Lehigh returns to the pitch Friday evening as the Mountain Hawks open Patriot League play against defending league champion Army. The Mountain Hawks have been off since earning a 1-0 victory at Fairleigh Dickinson as Lehigh matched its win total from last season behind sophomore Ali MacLeod’s first goal of the season and the defense’s fourth shutout of the season.
Last time out MacLeod’s goal lifted Lehigh to its fourth straight road win, but Friday night the Mountain Hawks will play just their third game of the season at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks (6-2-1) were picked sixth in the Patriot League preseason poll, but amassed the second most wins in the league in their pre-league schedule.
Senior Natalie Hojnacki assisted on MacLeod’s game-winner last week, giving her a team best eight points, while classmate Liz Carlos has chipped in with seven points and junior Glynn Fitzer has netted five. The Lehigh defense has yielded just six goals in nine games, and junior Lauren Mains ranks second in the league with a 0.64 goals-against average.
Lehigh opens league play against an Army team that captured the Patriot League championship in 2008. The Black Knights enter Friday’s game at 5-4-1 after being picked fourth in the league’s preseason poll. Army has been solid defensively, led by junior goalkeeper Alex Lostetter, who boasts a 0.90 goals-against average; while the offense has been led by Elizabeth Betterbed and Deanna Clegg who have each scored two goals. The Black Knights have enjoyed a balanced attack with seven players accounting for Army’s nine goals this season. Army last played on Sunday, downing Fairfield 2-1 at West Point, N.Y.
Army owns a 13-4-2 lead in the series, but Lehigh has lost just once in the last five meetings. Last year the Mountain Hawks cost the Black Knights the top seed in the Patriot League tournament when they downed Army 2-0 in the regular season finale. Hojnacki and sophomore Jana Basubas scored for Lehigh, as the Mountain Hawks handed Army its only league loss and scored the only two goals the Black Knights allowed against Patriot League opponents.
Friday’s game gets underway at 7 p.m. from the Ulrich Sports Complex. Streaming video of the contest will be available on Lehighsports.com.
