Pepe garners second Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week
11/1/2010 9:21:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh women's soccer junior Genna Pepe has been named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Monday. Pepe was a key contributor on both ends of the field in the Mountain Hawks' 1-0 win over rival Lafayette on Saturday. It marks the second time in three weeks she's been named Defensive Player of the Week.
Junior Jana Basubas was also one of the league's honorable mention honorees, following her game-winning goal against the Leopards.
Lehigh has now garnered 11 different weekly awards this season. Pepe is one of nine Mountain Hawks to win a weekly award, along with: Basubas (defensive), Liz Carlos (offensive), Paige Dyrek (freshman), Glynn Fitzer (offensive), Murphee Greeley (freshman), Natalie Hojnacki (offensive), Leah Kulp (defensive) and Lauren Mains (goalkeeper). Pepe and Mains have each won their respective awards twice.
Pepe starred on both ends of the field on Saturday at Lafayette, not only spearheading Lehigh's third shutout of the season, but also assisting on the game's only goal. She made a long cross in the 69th minute, which Basubas headed in to break a scoreless deadlock.
Then, as time was expiring, Pepe ran down Lafayette's Jill Dozier, who was sprung in on a breakaway. Dozier had a clear path to the goal, but she somehow ran her down and took the ball away before a point-blank opportunity could be fired on goal. That preserved Lehigh's third shutout of the season.
Pepe and the Mountain Hawk defense didn't allow any first-half shots and only relinquished four for the game. It was the first time all year that that the Mountain Hawks have held a team shot-less for a half.
Pepe now has six points on the season via a goal and four assists. The four helpers are tied for second most on the team.
The Mountain Hawks enter the postseason with a 9-4-4 record, 4-1-2 in Patriot League play. They are riding a five-game unbeaten streak in league play ever since falling in the opener.
Lehigh now looks ahead to the Patriot League Tournament in West Point, N.Y., beginning with the semifinals on Friday evening. The Mountain Hawks enter as the No. 3 seed and will face No. 2 Bucknell at 7:30 p.m. Earlier in the day, No. 1 seed Army will host No. 4 Colgate at 4 p.m.
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