Lehigh looks to bounce back against Holy Cross on Saturday
10/14/2010 8:08:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh women's soccer team looks to bounce back from a midweek loss when it returns to Patriot League play to host Holy Cross on Saturday at 4 p.m. It marks the Mountain Hawks' (7-3-2, 2-1-0 PL) last regular season home game before hitting the road for four straight. A perfect 6-0 in the friendly confines, Lehigh is vying for its first-ever undefeated season at home.
The Mountain Hawks are riding an eight-game home winning streak dating back to last season, their longest since a 13-game streak which began in 2004 and ended in '05. Lehigh came close to a perfect home record in each of those seasons, but lost once each year to fall just short.
Saturday features a soccer doubleheader as the Lehigh men face Holy Cross at 1 p.m. before the women also take on the Crusaders at 4:00.
Lehigh is coming off a tight 1-0 loss at Princeton on Wednesday when a goal in the 86th minute proved to be the difference. The Mountain Hawks look to bounce back like they did after their last loss. After an Oct. 1 defeat at Army snapped a four-game unbeaten streak, they won three straight games heading into Wednesday. The loss was Lehigh's first in regulation, this in its 12th game of the season.
The Mountain Hawks enter the weekend only one point behind first-place Army. With a 2-1-0 conference record, the Mountain Hawks have four Patriot League games remaining. They finish the season with road games at Navy, American and Lafayette.
Also in that stretch is a road tilt at Pennsylvania out of the Ivy League. The Quakers have been regionally ranked on numerous occasions this season, much like two Ivy counterparts Columbia and Princeton who Lehigh has also faced. In total, the Mountain Hawks have played four regionally ranked squads this season, dropping one-goal heartbreakers to Dayton, Army and Princeton, while tying Columbia.
Lehigh's success is leading to national attention as senior Natalie Hojnacki was recently named a College Soccer 360 Primetime Player of the Week. She was one of only 14 players nationally honored this week. She finds herself in impressive company, alongside players from No. 1 Stanford, No. 6 Maryland, No. 7 Texas A&M and more.
Holy Cross enters with a 3-7-1 overall record, 0-2-1 in the Patriot League. Shelby Stand leads the offense with 16 points via six goals and four assists. Maura Fox and Sarah Kelley each have five points via two goals and an assist, while Gaby Ransom has four (one goal, two assists). Mary Ferketic and Ashlyn Angell have split time in goal. Ferketic has a 1.76 GAA and .702 save percentage while Angell's numbers are 1.33 and .625, respectively.
The Crusaders lead the all-time series, 12-6-1, but Lehigh is 4-2-1 over the last seven meetings. The teams played to a scoreless draw last season up in Worcester. The Mountain Hawks did win four in a row spanning 2003-06 when they outscored Holy Cross by a combined score of 9-1.
Lehigh travels to Navy next Friday (Oct. 22) before heading to our nation's capital to face American on Sunday, Oct. 24.
Fans who can't make it to the Ulrich Sports Complex can watch the game live on Lehighsports.com.
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