Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh heads to Connecticut to face Fairfield
3/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Off to its best start since 1985 Lehigh takes its 5-0 record and heads to Connecticut on Tuesday to take on a tough Fairfield squad. The Mountain Hawks opened Patriot League play over the weekend with a convincing 13-2 win over Bucknell in Lewisburg. Three Lehigh players, including Kelly Draper, Lauren Dykstra and Meg Kelly scored three goals for the Brown and White, while freshman ML DiNisco continued her strong play in goal, stopping four shots in 50 minutes of action. Fairfield meanwhile was last in action on March 11 when the Stags defeated Quinnipiac on the road 14-12. Fairfield finished the 2009 season with a 17-3 mark and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Lehigh continues to score at a rapid pace as the Mountain Hawks are averaging nearly 13 goals per contest. Their defense has been just as strong, holding teams to 6.4 per goals this season. Draper leads the Brown and White with 17 points (11 goals, six assists), while Dykstra has found the back of the net 14 times, including five times on free position shots. Junior Allison Thomas (15) and senior Inneke Carmola (10) have also scored double digit points.
Sophomore Leigh Ann Torcivia has had a great start to the season on defense with a team-leading 14 ground balls, 11 draw controls and six caused turnovers. DiNisco started both games for Lehigh last week and for the season is allowing only 3.6 goals per game with 19 total saves.
Fairfield’s lone loss this season was to a strong James Madison squad on March 9. The Stags rebounded however with their win over Quinnipiac two days later. Erin Rigby is Fairfield’s leading scorer with 22 goals and 26 points, while Kristen Coleman has scored 15 goals and totaled 19 points. Katie MacKay leads the Stags with eight assists, while Brittany Bare has scooped up a team best 16 ground balls. Rigby is the team leader in draw controls with 16 and Caitlin Young leads the defense with 13 caused turnovers. In goal for Fairfield Katie Keenan has played nearly 300 minutes and sent back 36 shots during that time.
Lehigh and Fairfield will be meeting for the eighth time with the Mountain Hawks leading the series 5-2. Lehigh won the first five contests but have since dropped two straight. The last time Lehigh defeated Fairfield came in 2007 when the Mountain Hawks earned an 11-10 victory.
Lehigh and Fairfield will get things started at 3:30 on Tuesday in Connecticut.
