Lehigh embarks on busy weekend beginning with PL opener at American
9/30/2011 12:10:00 AM | Field Hockey
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh field hockey team looks to ride the momentum of Wednesday's win over Siena into league play when it travels to American for its Patriot League opener on Saturday. Gametime is set for 12 p.m. The Mountain Hawks will then return home on Sunday to host defending NEC Champion Rider at 1 p.m.
Lehigh is coming off a solid performance against Siena on Wednesday when the squad jumped out to a 3-0 lead before holding on for a 3-2 victory. The Mountain Hawks put together a total team effort as three different players scored a goal and four others recorded an assist.
Junior Kim Eng got the scoring started in the first half with her team-leading fifth goal of the season. In the second, freshman Steph Fratoni tipped in the team's second goal of the game (and the first of her career), followed by a goal from senior Madison Ingal just 3:08 later.
The win is Lehigh's second home victory of the season and second in its last three tries. The Mountain Hawks have hung tough in nearly every game this season, earning two wins thus far while five losses have come by two goals or less (and three by a single goal).
American stands first in “others receiving votes” in the NFHCA National Poll, coming in with a 3-5 overall record having lost four of its last five games. The Eagles' wins on the season have all come at home: Penn (7-0), Princeton (2-0) and last time out against Boston College (2-1). Alex McMakin leads the team in scoring with 11 points (five goals, one assist) while Jenn Bradley is right behind with seven (three goals, one assist). Stephanie Burry has seen the majority of time in goal (seven games), posting a 1.57 GAA and .542 save percentage. Ashley Dalisera has impressed in limited action, with a 0.75 GAA and .875 save percentage.
The Eagles have taken each of the first 14 all-time meetings. Lehigh did hang especially tough in 2006, dropping a 6-5 double overtime heartbreaker to American.
Defending NEC Champion Rider enters the weekend red-hot with four straight victories and an 8-1 overall record, defeating Radford (3-0), Bucknell (6-0), Lock Haven (3-2) and Villanova (3-0) as part of its recent streak. Four Broncs are in double-digits in points, led by Virginia Egusquiza who has 20 via seven goals and six assists. Marlaine Schneider has 19 (six goals, seven assists), Sandra Penas 18 (eight goals, two assists) and Megan Pisani 12 (six goals). Rebecca Lotito has started all nine games in goal, posting a 0.92 GAA and .789 save percentage.
Lehigh owns a 17-13-1 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1981. The teams didn't play last season, but had played for 29 straight years dating 1981-2009. The Mountain Hawks won two straight in 2006 and '07 before Rider responded with wins in 2008 and '09.
The Mountain Hawks return to action next weekend when they host games on Saturday (against Colgate) and Sunday (vs. Cornell).
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