Mountain Hawks welcome Bison for key PL game
10/9/2009 9:30:00 AM | Field Hockey
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh returns to the turf on Saturday for its second Patriot League game of the season, as the Mountain Hawks welcome the Bucknell Bison to Ulrich Field for a critical league showdown. Both teams were victorious in their Patriot League openers last weekend, so Saturday’s winner will move to 2-0 in the league and will have the upper hand in the race for one of the top four spots in the league standings.
Last weekend, the Mountain Hawks enjoyed one of their most impressive performances of the season in a 4-1 Patriot League-opening victory over Colgate. Freshman Kim Eng netted her eighth goal of the season and assisted on two others, while senior Morgan Christopher added a goal and an assist.
Lehigh enters the game at 4-6 overall after dropping a non-league contest to Villanova on Wednesday night. Senior Lindsey Smith scored a goal for the second straight game, but the visiting Wildcats scored six times in a ten minute span in the first half en route to a 10-1 victory. Smith now has three goals on the season, which ties her with Christopher for second on the Mountain Hawks behind Eng, who has eight. Smith also has three assists on the year for nine points, which ranks second to Eng’s 22. Eng continues to own or share the league lead in all major offensive categories.
Saturday’s game is the sixth in the Mountain Hawks’ seven-game home stand. As the last league home game, Saturday will also mark senior day for Lehigh as the program’s three seniors: Christopher, Smith and Julie Kuhns will be recognized before the game.
Bucknell comes into Saturday’s game at 7-4 overall. The Bison opened league play with a hard-earned 1-0 home win over Lafayette last Saturday, which garnered three players Patriot League awards on Monday. Corrine Raczek was named Offensive Player of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal versus the Leopards, while Christine Weiss was named Defensive Player of the Week and Jessie Atieh was named Goalkeeper of the Week.
Austin Thomas has been Bucknell’s top goal scorer with five, while Morgan Kauffman tops the team in assists (five) and points (13). Atieh has played every minute of every game in the goal cage for the Bison, who are coming off a 1-0 loss to Lock Haven on Tuesday.
Lehigh leads the series versus Bucknell 21-13-1, but the Bison scored a late goal to win last year’s meeting 2-1 in Lewisburg, Pa.
Saturday’s game gets underway at 11 a.m. from Ulrich Field and will be broadcast online at Lehighsports.com.
