Lehigh looks to continue winning ways vs. VCU
9/17/2009 10:45:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Winners of three straight games, the Lehigh women’s soccer team returns to the pitch to host Virginia Commonwealth in the front end of a women’s-men’s soccer doubleheader Friday at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks are unbeaten in their last four games and are coming off two wins last weekend where they downed Cornell and Quinnipiac by a combined 6-1 margin.
In Lehigh’s home opener last Friday against Cornell, the offense exploded for its highest goal output in nearly six years in the Mountain Hawks’ 4-1 win. Two days later it was the defense’s turn as Lehigh pitched its third shutout in six games.
Seniors Natalie Hojnacki and Liz Carlos and junior Glynn Fitzer pace the Mountain Hawks with five points, but Lehigh has enjoyed balanced scoring with eight players already having scored this year. Defensively, senior Hailey Coonrad has anchored the revamped defensive unit that has allowed just three goals, while junior goalkeeper Lauren Mains is off to a strong start to her season in between the posts, with 35 saves and a 0.48 goals against average.
VCU enters Friday’s game at 2-3-1 on the season. The Rams hosted the VCU/Impact Sports Invitational Last weekend picking up a 3-0 win over Loyola (Md.) before playing Richmond to a scoreless draw. Jasmine Riley and June Hartman lead the VCU attack with three goals apiece while Riley has also added three assists for a team-leading nine points. Kate Hudson has started five of six games in goal for the Rams this season.
Friday’s game marks the first ever meeting between the schools in women’s soccer. The teams have faced one common opponent this year, with both teams suffering one-goal losses to Virginia Tech; the Mountain Hawks falling 1-0 at the Villanova Classic on August 30 and the Rams dropping a 4-3 overtime decision on September 4 at the UNC Greensboro tournament.
Game time on Friday is set for 4 p.m. from the Ulrich Sports Complex with streaming video of the contest available on Lehighsports.com.
