Lehigh hits the road for two key PL matches
10/8/2009 12:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
 |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The second weekend of Patriot League play sees Lehigh hit the road for two crucial league matches this weekend as the Mountain Hawks will visit Colgate Friday night and Bucknell on Saturday afternoon. The two games mark the first league road tests for Lehigh, which has tied its last two games, including a 0-0 draw with defending Patriot League champion Army last Friday at the Ulrich Sports Complex.
Lehigh (6-2-3) dominated statistically in its league opener last Friday, out-shooting Army 21-6 but the Mountain Hawks were unable to put a goal on the board and had to settle for a point in the league standings. Last time out Lehigh played Columbia to a 1-1 draw Monday night. Sophomore Megan Cain put the Mountain Hawks in front in the 30th minute with her first goal of the season on an assist from junior Glynn Fitzer, but the visiting Lions tied the game in the 82nd minute and after neither team could score in two overtimes, the game went into the books as a tie.
Cain became the tenth different Lehigh player to score a goal this season with her strike versus Columbia. Senior Natalie Hojnacki continues to lead the way for Lehigh with three goals and eight points. Liz Carlos has added seven points on two goals and three assists, while Fitzer’s assist Monday gives her six points for the season.
Defensively, the Mountain Hawks were solid against Army, allowing just three shots on goal. The backline of seniors Hailey Coonrad and Alex Warren and sophomores Jana Basubas and Leah Kulp has continued to perform at a high level in front of junior Goalkeeper Lauren Mains, who had a streak of over 300 minutes without allowing a goal snapped when Columbia scored its tying goal.
The weekend kicks off Friday night in Hamilton, N.Y. against the Colgate Raiders. Colgate is also 0-0-1 in Patriot League play after playing Navy to a scoreless draw last weekend in Annapolis, Md. The Raiders are 4-5-3 overall but have lost just once in their last five games. Colgate has struggled to score goals, with just 10 in 12 games, but has also been stingy on the defensive end, allowing just nine. Jillian Kinter, Jillian Arnault and Maddie Malone lead the Raiders with two goals each, while freshman Ashley Walsh has started all 12 games in goal.
The Raiders lead the series versus Lehigh 14-4-1 and have won the last two meetings, including a 1-0 win last year in Bethlehem. Friday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. from Van Doren Field.
On Sunday Lehigh heads to Lewisburg to face a Bucknell team that is 5-6-1 overall. The Bison opened up league play with a 3-1 loss at American on Saturday. Caitlin Holtz scored the lone goal of the game for Bucknell, which has won just once in its last five outings. Holtz is tied for the team lead with seven points and ranks second on the team in goals behind Christa Matlack, who leads the Bison with three. Kathryn Sutton has started eight of Bucknell’s 12 games in goal. The Bison will host Lafayette on Friday before Lehigh comes to town Sunday afternoon.
The Bison lead the series with Lehigh 10-7-2. Last year Bucknell beat Lehigh 3-1 in Bethlehem, a setback that snapped a streak of four straight regular season wins for the Mountain Hawks in the series. Sunday’s game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start from Emmitt Field.
