Lehigh University Athletics
Mountain Hawks open their season on Saturday
2/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Coming off of a season in which it won its most games since 2003, earned the number-two seed in the Patriot League Tournament and defeated a pair of league opponents (American, Colgate) for the first time in the same season in more than a decade, Lehigh has plenty to be optimistic about entering the 2008 campaign. If that isn’t enough to get excited about, the Mountain Hawks return nearly their entire team from a year ago, including the last two Patriot League Rookies of the Year, 76 percent of their goal scoring, both of their goal keepers and a deep, experienced group on defense. Add to that another stellar recruiting class brought in my head coach Liz Brode Ota, and the Mountain Hawks are primed to make a run at their first Patriot League Championship since 1994.
Leading the way for Lehigh at attack will be the one-two punch of sophomore Inneke Carmola and junior Sara MacIntyre. These two combined to score 93 goals a season ago and will form the core of what Ota envisions as an explosive attack unit. Carmola was a First-Team All-Patriot League selection and the Rookie of the Year last season, after netting a team-best 46 goals to go along with six assists. The
Carmola is flanked by the 2006 Patriot League Rookie of the Year in MacIntyre, who set a school record for goals by a Lehigh freshman with 47 of them that year. Last season, MacIntyre was a First-Team All-League selection after scoring 41 goals, including five games of three or more. Also returning on attack for the Brown and White is junior Meagan Tenety, who along with MacIntyre and Carmola will lead the attack as a playmaker. As a freshman in 2006, Tenety led the Mountain Hawks in assists with 18 and also added 16 goals and 18 ground balls.
Newcomers Lauren Dykstra and Allison Thomas will add talent and speed to the Lehigh attack as both arrive with impressive credentials. Dykstra, listed as one of the top-50 recruits in the nation by Inside Lacrosse Magazine, was a First-Team All-American last season as well as an All-State, All-County and All-Conference selection. Her work in the classroom is just as eye-opening, as she was named an Academic All-American in each of the past two years. Thomas meanwhile was also an All-State choice last season and was part of three District Championship teams in high school.
In the midfield, Lehigh is led by senior captain Christy Smith. The 2007 Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year, Smith has garnered All-League accolades in each of the past two seasons and enters this year with 66 goals and 22 assists in her career. She led the Mountain Hawks with 24 draw controls a season ago, ranked third on the team in ground balls and handed out the second most assists of any Mountain Hawk. Her blazing speed and heady play make Smith a tough cover for any defense, while her experience and leadership skills are perfect for guiding the younger Mountain Hawks.
Joining Smith in the midfield are juniors Tess McGrath, and Meghan Tranter. McGrath, who impressed Ota as a sophomore captain, appeared in all 17 games last year, scoring eight goals and dishing out four helpers along the way. A native of
Tranter has played in 30 games during her first two seasons, including 14 a year ago. She netted two goals, including the game-winner in the Mountain Hawks regular season victory over American in overtime, and scooped up eight ground balls on the year.
Also in the midfield are, newcomer Lauren Donatelli an All-Area and All-League selection last season, while Kindall Healy was an All-State choice as well as an honorable mention All-American.
Lehigh’s defense features a strong nucleus of experienced players, including senior captain Seana Smith, junior Sarah Fudin, and sophomores Jen Ingalls, Carolyn Von Heil and Megan Stoner. The Mountain Hawks will miss the spirited leadership of Kyle Roth, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Smith had a breakout junior season, culminating with her selection as the Coaches Award winner. She started all 17 games for the Mountain Hawks, scooping up 38 ground balls along the way. She added nine draw controls and 11 caused turnovers as well. Ota has been extremely impressed with the amount of improvement displayed by Smith in each of her first three seasons in the Brown and White.
Fudin was a Second-Team All-League selection a season ago, and is widely regarded as one of the toughest defenders in the entire league. She started all 17 games as a sophomore, totaling 28 ground balls, 11 draw controls and 12 caused turnovers, second best on the team. Fudin, who often draws the opponent’s best offensive player, recorded four ground balls in back-to-back wins over UC Davis and Lafayette, and garnered a spot on the Patriot League All-Tournament Team. Ingalls had a big freshman season for Lehigh, starting all 17 games, and garnering Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week accolades in early April. The
Von Heil joined Ingalls in the starting lineup in each game a season ago, totaling 12 ground balls and three caused turnovers. With good speed and a better understanding of the game, she should pick up right where she left off in 2007. Stoner appeared in 13 games as a freshman, picking up 12 ground balls and eight draw controls in that time. Her speed and athleticism only adds to the deep talent poll Lehigh has on defense.
What once was an area of concern has now turned into a strength as Ota has a pair of great goal keepers to choose from. Sophomores Kelsy Ferris and Kaitlin Dean both had impressive freshmen campaigns, led by Ferris, who ranked in the top-three in the Patriot League in every major statistical category. Ferris posted a .500 save percentage, sending back 181 shots along the way. Her 10.65 saves per game was third in the league as was her goals against average. A two-time Patriot League Goal Keeper of the Week, Ferris posted nine games of double digit saves, including a 16-save performance in an overtime win against American and 15 saves in a game with Villanova. Dean meanwhile saw time in six games, sending back 14 shots in that time. She logged 86 minutes of action and faced 48 shots.
Lehigh opens its season on Saturday, when it welcomes Mount St. Mary’s to the Ulrich Sports Complex at 1 p.m. The game can be seen live on Lehighsports.com, with streaming provided by Yahoo! Sports.
