Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh women’s soccer owns special connections to the World Cup
7/11/2011 10:57:00 PM | Women's Soccer
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
The United States' thrilling World Cup victory over Brazil was memorable for both sports and non-sports fans alike. For a number of former Lehigh women's soccer players and coaches, it proved extra special. These Mountain Hawks have unique connections to what's happening overseas, which will make the memory of Sunday's thriller last a lifetime.
A former goalkeeper, assistant coach and current member of the Lehigh multimedia department, Erin Iwaskiewicz '05 went to Germany for more than two weeks as a trip leader for Proactive Travel. An old friend who owns the company asked her if she'd be interested. It was a no-brainer.
“I honestly didn't even have to think about it,” she said.
The trip included a lot of travel for Iwaskiewicz, who will never forget the World Cup opener featuring Germany against Canada.
“It was awesome to go to the first game in Berlin with a sold-out stadium,” she said. “It was an amazing environment with 72,000 people. I'd been to many women's soccer games in my life, but I had never been in an environment with that many people supporting their countries and rallying around women's soccer. It gave me chills.”
From there, her group traveled from the eastern part of the country to the west, seeing different stadiums along the way.
“It was really cool to be in Germany; I had been there before and knew some of its history,” said Iwaskiewicz. “Traveling to different places, you really take in a lot of cultural and textual things, based on the history of their country. No matter where we went, the support of the country and women's soccer was equally impressive.”
In the end, Iwaskiewiez saw five different games: Germany-Canada, United States-North Korea, Japan-Mexico, France-Canada and United States-Colombia.
Iwaskiewicz remained in Germany through group play before arriving home last Friday, just in time to catch Sunday's United States-Brazil thriller on ESPN. While the instant classic was viewed by fans from half a world away, another Lehigh alum was as close to the action as you could get.
Adrienne Grunwald '04 is overseas taking photos of (ironically enough) Brazil, so she got a first-hand look at all the twists and turns that Sunday's match had to offer. She is currently a photographer out of New York City and has been working on a project for the past few years about Brazilian female soccer players.
Even more Lehigh connections have a direct connection to Ali Krieger, who converted the fifth and final penalty kick to send the United States into the semifinals. Former Mountain Hawks' graduate assistants Amanda Brown and Sarah Dwyer, both played with Krieger at Penn State. Brown has a number of additional connections with the World Cup teams, knowing two on the Canadian team and a handful more on the United States.
“There was so much talk about how 12 years before, Brandi [Chastain] scored that big goal and women's soccer blew up,” said Brown. “That was inspirational for my generation of female athletes. It's special to see my generation and players I've played with do it all over again 12 years later.”
Sunday's game served as a revival of sorts for women's soccer in the United States.
“It's a great reminder to what female student-athletes can do,” said Brown. “Just to have those images filter through pop culture again, it's great for the sport. It's great for the younger generation to see them work hard and be successful.”
In addition, Lehigh alum Gina Lewandowski '07 has been Krieger's teammate for FFC Frankfurt for the past four years. Watching Sunday's game was extra special and unique.
“The game was just amazing to see,” she said Lewandowski. “Right from the beginning, the excitement and the tension made it feel more like a final than a quarterfinal.”
Lewandowski also plays for the Western New York Flash in the Women's Professional Soccer League and is actually teammates with Brazilian star Marta, who scored two goals, including what looked to be the game-winner in the first overtime. But Abby Wambach's late header sent the game to penalty kicks where instead, her FFC Frankfurt teammate (Krieger) provided the game-clinching penalty kick.
“Ali is a great player; she's always worked hard, on and off the field,” said Lewandowski. “I knew as soon as she stepped up, that she had the ability to finish it. She's definitely someone who can handle pressure and get the job done.”
In the end, it was the best of both worlds. Lewandowski's teammate Marta was outstanding, but the United States' thrilling comeback was capped off by another teammate, and friend.
“I really wanted Marta to do well and to carry the momentum back to Buffalo,” said Lewandowski. “Hopefully she can keep that high going. She did everything she could for her team, but the U.S. came through. It was awesome to see Ali score that final goal to solidify the win.
“We had a feeling the whole game that the U.S. would pull through,” she continued. “We've been taught to never give up; it only takes once chance. When Abby scored that goal, [my Western New York teammates and I] were just jumping and going crazy. It seemed unreal that it actually happened.”
Lewandowski's World Cup connections don't end there. Six of her FFC Frankfurt teammates play on the German National Team while current Western New York teammate Alex Morgan is also on the United States.
The connections in the World Cup truly seem endless. Perhaps the most direct one comes from current U.S. assistant coach Erica Walsh, a former Lehigh assistant, and head coach at Brown and Dwyer's alma mater, Penn State. Walsh has served as U.S. assistant for Pia Sundhage's entire tenure.
The Lehigh women's soccer program is quietly growing into both a regional and national force. Between last season's Patriot League Championship and stories like this, the Mountain Hawks play against - and produce - national team caliber players and coaches.
“I feel honored to be part of a program like Lehigh and the connections that it has,” said Lewandowski. Just to get a piece of Erica's [Walsh] style of coaching and her experience. It's a small world. Our Lehigh community has been exposed to such quality individuals.”
“For me, it makes me feel closer to the women's national team. I'm not on it, but I know someone who coaches them,” said Iwaskiewicz. “I'm friends with a couple of players. And some of my friends have been teammates with them.
“The program is growing in the soccer world,” she continued. “That's clearly evident by this many former Lehigh players and coaches having connections to what's happening at the national level. The Lehigh network is widespread in all aspects of life.”
The World Cup Semifinals continue on Wednesday when the United States plays France at 12 p.m. ET followed by Sweden and Japan at 2:45 p.m. There's no doubt these Mountain Hawks will be rooting for the U.S. for more than just national pride.
The World Cup Semifinals continue on Wednesday when the United States plays France at 12 p.m. ET followed by Sweden and Japan at 2:45 p.m. There's no doubt these Mountain Hawks will be rooting for the U.S. for more than just national pride.
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