Lehigh and Bucknell set for Senior Day Showdown Saturday
10/14/2011 12:09:00 AM | Field Hockey
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Winners of two of its last three games, the Lehigh field hockey team looks to end its home schedule on a high note when it welcomes Patriot League rival Bucknell to Ulrich Field on Senior Day Saturday. Gametime is set for 1 p.m. with the Mountain Hawks' four seniors set to be honored prior to game time. With a win, Lehigh would finish the regular season with a 5-4 home record.
Seniors Caitlin Donnelly, Madison Ingal, Allison Kowalski and Abby Tilton will all be honored for their hard work and dedication in a special ceremony approximately 10 minutes before the game. To read a complete senior tribute, including a special Q&A with all four student-athletes, please click here.
The Mountain Hawks are coming off their first-ever win over Penn on Wednesday, 4-3, which saw them break out for four goals in a 12:06 span to take a 4-1 advantage. Donnelly, Tilton, junior Kim Eng and freshman Natalie Tacka all scored for Lehigh as Tacka's insurance goal at 27:52 proved to be the difference.
Four different Mountain Hawks recorded assists, including Eng and defending Patriot League Rookie of the Week Steph Fratoni. Lehigh's four goals in a half were a season-high while its four total scores tied a season best, accomplished on two other occasions.
Bucknell enters with a 4-8 record and an identical 1-1 Patriot League record as Lehigh. After defeating Holy Cross (7-0) then Villanova (2-1), the Bison have lost two in a row, to Lafayette (5-3) and Cornell (3-1). Leading the offense is Mallory Smith with 12 points (three goals, six assists). Rachel Misko is next up with eight (three goals, two assists) while two others each have six points, Kate Bown (three goals) and Marci Richard (team-leading six assists). Erica Perrine has seen the majority of time in goal, posting a 2.38 GAA and .619 save percentage.
Lehigh leads the all-time series, 21-15-1, highlighted by a strong stretch through most of the 1980s when it won eight in a row over the Bison. Bucknell has won three straight, but the Mountain Hawks had won three of the previous four before that. The series has been extremely close as of late; each of the past four meetings have been one-goal margins while each of the last 11 contests have finished two goals or less. The last time a side won by more than a pair was 1999.
The Mountain Hawks hit the road for their final two regular season games when they travel to Lafayette next Saturday and Holy Cross on Saturday, Oct. 29.
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