Lehigh University
(2-9)
Liberty
(8-3)
Mountain Hawks fall to No. 12 Liberty
10/9/2015 9:19:00 PM | Field Hockey
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Junior Amanda Granger pulled the Lehigh field hockey team within 3-1 midway through the first half, but No. 12 Liberty responded with the game's final six goals to earn a 9-1 win on Friday evening. The Mountain Hawks contained the Lady Flames' offense in the second half, holding them to eight shots and just one shot on goal while generating six shots themselves.
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"In the first half, we dug ourselves in a whole and we played a bit scared because they're a great team, but I thought in the second half, we came out to play and controlled some of the game and some of the tactics that we talked about at halftime," said Lehigh head coach Stacey Eversley.
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Liberty jumped ahead quickly, taking a 1-0 lead just 4:36 into the game. The Lady Flames added two more goals over the next 5:13, both off penalty corners, to make it 3-0 at the 9:49 mark.
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Lehigh answered, scoring a goal on its first shot of the game. Senior Lindsey Schott was sprung in all alone, but Liberty goalkeeper Mallory Cuccio aggressively came out to knock the ball away. Granger corralled the loose ball and found the open cage to pull the Mountain Hawks within 3-1 with 17:50 on the clock.
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The Lady Flames responded in a big way, scoring five goals in the next 7:26 to take an 8-1 lead at the half. Nearly every of Liberty's first-half goals came off penalty corners.
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The Mountain Hawks contained Liberty in the second half while Lehigh earned its first penalty corners of the game and had some quality opportunities. In the 48th minute, junior Marissa Glatt fired a shot towards goal which went wide off a penalty corner. Just over 10 minutes later, Granger unleashed a shot from in close off a pass from freshman Teresa Carotenuto, but Liberty goalie Erin Bradshaw was there to make the stop.
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Less than two minutes after Granger's opportunity, senior Erin Ricker followed with a hard shot which was stopped. The Mountain Hawks had one final push in the final minute as a shot from outside the arc was deflected, forcing Bradshaw to make her third save of the second half. Moments later, Lehigh generated a penalty corner which led to two final shots before the clock hit zero.
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Lehigh will look to bounce back on Sunday when the Mountain Hawks head to Connecticut to face the Sacred Heart Pioneers. The game will take play on the campus of Yale University. The Mountain Hawks return home for two next weekend, vs. Boston University next Saturday (Oct. 17) and Lock Haven next Sunday (Oct. 18).
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Team Stats
BARR, Natalie (10)
GK kicked ball away, #19 coralled and fo
4:36
BARR, Bethany (3)
Assisted By: BARR, Serena
Direct shot off a penalty corner, tipped
6:49
BARR, Serena (4)
Assisted By: BREMNER, Cassidy , JONES, Hannah
Tip off penalty corner.
9:49
Granger, Amanda (2)
GK aggressively made play, #1 coralled b
17:50
BARR, Natalie (11)
High backhand shot from distance, GK got
20:38
GIPE, Sarah (6)
Assisted By: JULIUS, Abby
Pass to far side near corner of goal, lo
22:21
KRULOCK, Ashlee (9)
Assisted By: BARR, Natalie
Deflection in front off penalty corner.
24:34
BARR, Bethany (4)
GK kicked rebound out, #12 hard shot for
26:52
BARR, Serena (5)
Off deflection in front, coralled ball a
28:04
JONES, Hannah (3)
Assisted By: BARTLEY, Erin
Tip at corner of cage off penalty corner
49:36
