2019 Lehigh Field Hockey: A Season of Progress
2/4/2020 3:19:00 PM | Field Hockey, Features
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
You couldn't script it any better.
Lehigh entered its season finale against defending Patriot League Champion Boston University looking for a program-defining victory.
What would ensue?
A thrilling 2-1 win, which was capped off by junior Drew Pecora's program-record 14th goal of the season.
As the Patriot League Network announcer said, "… it's a record-setting goal in a win for Lehigh for the first time against Boston University on Senior Day."
It was a fitting end for a season of progress.
How Did It Happen?
It wasn't always easy.
The Mountain Hawks began the campaign 5-1 then lost 10, but rebounded to win their final two games of the year.
The end result was a 7-11 record, the program's most wins since 2007. The Mountain Hawks' 35 goals scored were their most since that same year, while their 43 goals allowed were fewest since 2003.
"I believe we exceeded expectations in some ways and fell short in others," said Lehigh head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer. "We knew this year was going to be more successful because of increased commitment levels from the players on the team. They did more over the summer coming in, were fitter and more excited to make a big impact, so we knew we would see a difference. We saw a huge change in culture, attitude and commitment, but we still fell short in achieving some of our goals that were more concrete and less process.
"In the end, we made a lot more progress towards the process."
The Mountain Hawks shouldn't sell themselves short. Yes, their biggest strides were process goals that will set them up for success moving forward, but tangible results were on display as well.
Prior to 2019, the last time Lehigh field hockey won five times in any six-game stretch was 1994. Lehigh's goal margin (minus 8) was its best since 2004. Going back to the 2018 season, the Mountain Hawks extended their goal streak to 17 games – their best streak since 2006-07. The Boston University win was Lehigh's first over a defending Patriot League Champion since 1994, and just second in program history. The victory also propelled the Mountain Hawks to a tie for fourth in the final league standings, their best finish since 2011.
In the big picture, the Mountain Hawks took important steps forwards towards their end goal of consistently competing for Patriot League Tournament berths, and eventually championships.
"The start was 100 percent because of preparation over the summer," said Dallmeyer. "We had more players playing consistently, more players training at the level they needed to and better leadership uniting the team in a way that would translate to success on the field. This group has watched and learned from the Lehigh field hockey that has been, and they're willing to take the actions necessary to write a new script for our future."
That leadership was especially important with 10 first-years joining the program. But you would have never known due in large part to the efforts of upperclassmen like senior Amanda Boyer and junior Lenke Havas.
"Trying to get 10 first-years immediately on board during a short preseason is a difficult task, but they were ambitious and ready to help turn LUFH's program around," said Boyer. "I am proud of all of them for knowing their roles on the team because I am confident this helped us achieve all our successes."
As Havas said, team dynamics started strong, but were continually growing throughout the season.
"Having such a strong start followed by 10 straight losses made us learn a lot as a team," she said. "We grew from it and realized going forward that we can't be surprised when things are going well. We need to stay grounded and not be complacent."
The season began with wins at Rider (1-0) and vs. Towson (4-1). Following a hard-fought defeat vs. perennial Atlantic 10 contender Richmond, the Mountain Hawks beat Georgetown at home (3-0) before going on the road and defeating Colgate (2-1) and Wagner (5-1) for the program's best start since 1983.
At that point, Lehigh stood top 25 nationally in the first NCAA RPI of the season. It was an incredible moment for the program. Even with the ensuing losing streak, it's still a very telling and notable accomplishment, signifying how far the program has already come and the potential it has.
"Yes, we put the work in all summer to be able to have a really great start, but it's consistency that really makes the difference in a season," said Dallmeyer. "In the future, we'll be more aware that consistency is something that needs to be continually worked on. At no point has anyone arrived, which, given our history, may have been a distraction at times."
Instead of dwelling on the 10 straight defeats and wondering "what if," the Mountain Hawks stuck together and kept working, ending the year with home wins over Saint Louis (4-0) and Boston University (2-1).
"We were able to get ourselves out of it, learning a lot of lessons through the experience," said Dallmeyer.
Well-Balanced Team
One significant characteristic of the 2019 Mountain Hawks was their well-roundedness. Whereas past years, Lehigh was stronger at one end of the field than the other, the most recent version consistently scored goals and kept the ball out of the cage.
There were a number of reasons why it happened, including the emergence of Pecora, who returned from a season-ending injury to score at a record pace and earn All-Region recognition (along with Havas). First-year Maddie Kahn impressed in goal, winning three Patriot League weekly awards. As a team, the Mountain Hawks won every weekly award at least once in a season for the first time in program history.
"The last couple years, we've been building up the strong defense with Lenke in the backfield, but we'd been missing the key, consistent scorers to really lead the team," said Dallmeyer. "We often had to rely on defenders to put the ball in the net off corners. It was nice to be able to have a forward line we could rely on to score without relying on a set play."
More than the points she racked up, Pecora contributed in another – more important – way.
"I believe Drew's leadership was most important," said Dallmeyer. "We haven't had a leader on the forward line like Drew, and she did a really nice job of being humble – not making it about herself, but making it about the success of the team. She was about really celebrating others and trying to set others up for success, and through that process, she stumbled upon her own."
You Couldn't Script It Any Better
The word success was a common word around the LUFH program in 2019. It's easy to think back to the season with a smile, due in large part to the way it ended.
"I feel my last game ever, our win over Boston University, exemplifies the team's growth," said Boyer. "Everyone worked to stay in the game for a full 60 minutes and to keep the tie. Then, we went into our first overtime of the season and again, everyone did their part which led to a great win."
It was simply a special afternoon on Senior Day for the student-athlete who has helped spearhead the LUFH transformation.
"I am always at a loss for words when people ask about my Senior Day because the day was so special," said Boyer. "If this win did not give the team validity and confidence across the Patriot League, then I am certain it at least gave the team confidence in their abilities to play with, and beat, a top team."
"It was a huge point in the program that we were able to come out with the win in a high-pressure game against a very talented team," said Dallmeyer. "I can't say that was necessarily a given coming into the year. It was something we built up.
"It was a sweet way to end."
Moving Forward
Moving forward, the Mountain Hawks are happy, but they're far from satisfied.
"I'll remember 2019 as the first season when our hard work, on and off the field, visibly paid off in results," said Havas. "We had a good taste of what the expectations will be for the future of this program. A 7-11 record is a great improvement from previous years, but the season also showed that we can do even better and strive for bigger goals."
The program's culture, which has taken years to develop, set the stage for an important season of progress.
"There was a lot of excitement and celebration around the process, which we've been working on for several years now," said Dallmeyer. "To see it come forward and have a really enjoyable season working hard and keeping perspective through the struggle was something we haven't had. That allowed us to not only have a good finish, but it also allowed us to continue moving up regionally.
"We want to have an above .500 record, which we haven't had in several decades. It's important we recognize that we're close and we had opportunities to make that happen this year, so we need to make sure we solidify areas moving forward."
The Mountain Hawks are poised for continued growth heading into the 2020 season. The program loses Boyer, an important contributor and leader, but returns the rest of the roster. Now, it's up to the rising seniors to take the reigns of the program and keep pushing it to continued bigger and better things.
"Amanda had a unique experience here because she came in at the same time as the coaches and really saw the process from the beginning. She saw where we were, understood where we wanted to be and helped us make strides in getting there," said Dallmeyer. "The rising seniors have seen the struggle first-hand from Amanda, the work she put in, and are committed to continuing it, and not allowing the team to fall back or regress in any way.
"It's a different era of leadership. Amanda was one in her class and took on a big burden whereas this class should be able to share that load because there are more of them who are poised and prepared to lead.
"We have athletes who are tired of being told they have potential," Dallmeyer continued. "They want to, and are willing to, create the success to be able to walk away as the program's best. I'm really happy with where we are because of the excitement around the future."
You couldn't script it any better.
Lehigh entered its season finale against defending Patriot League Champion Boston University looking for a program-defining victory.
What would ensue?
A thrilling 2-1 win, which was capped off by junior Drew Pecora's program-record 14th goal of the season.
As the Patriot League Network announcer said, "… it's a record-setting goal in a win for Lehigh for the first time against Boston University on Senior Day."
That's a GOAL!!! Mountain Hawks beat defending Patriot League Champ Boston University behind Drew Pecora's record-breaking 14th goal of the season. Lehigh finishes 7-11, its most since since 2007! #GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/QfzUJjUvuz
— Lehigh Field Hockey (@LehighFH) November 2, 2019
It was a fitting end for a season of progress.
How Did It Happen?
It wasn't always easy.
The Mountain Hawks began the campaign 5-1 then lost 10, but rebounded to win their final two games of the year.
The end result was a 7-11 record, the program's most wins since 2007. The Mountain Hawks' 35 goals scored were their most since that same year, while their 43 goals allowed were fewest since 2003.
"I believe we exceeded expectations in some ways and fell short in others," said Lehigh head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer. "We knew this year was going to be more successful because of increased commitment levels from the players on the team. They did more over the summer coming in, were fitter and more excited to make a big impact, so we knew we would see a difference. We saw a huge change in culture, attitude and commitment, but we still fell short in achieving some of our goals that were more concrete and less process.
"In the end, we made a lot more progress towards the process."
The Mountain Hawks shouldn't sell themselves short. Yes, their biggest strides were process goals that will set them up for success moving forward, but tangible results were on display as well.
Prior to 2019, the last time Lehigh field hockey won five times in any six-game stretch was 1994. Lehigh's goal margin (minus 8) was its best since 2004. Going back to the 2018 season, the Mountain Hawks extended their goal streak to 17 games – their best streak since 2006-07. The Boston University win was Lehigh's first over a defending Patriot League Champion since 1994, and just second in program history. The victory also propelled the Mountain Hawks to a tie for fourth in the final league standings, their best finish since 2011.
In the big picture, the Mountain Hawks took important steps forwards towards their end goal of consistently competing for Patriot League Tournament berths, and eventually championships.
"The start was 100 percent because of preparation over the summer," said Dallmeyer. "We had more players playing consistently, more players training at the level they needed to and better leadership uniting the team in a way that would translate to success on the field. This group has watched and learned from the Lehigh field hockey that has been, and they're willing to take the actions necessary to write a new script for our future."
That leadership was especially important with 10 first-years joining the program. But you would have never known due in large part to the efforts of upperclassmen like senior Amanda Boyer and junior Lenke Havas.
"Trying to get 10 first-years immediately on board during a short preseason is a difficult task, but they were ambitious and ready to help turn LUFH's program around," said Boyer. "I am proud of all of them for knowing their roles on the team because I am confident this helped us achieve all our successes."
As Havas said, team dynamics started strong, but were continually growing throughout the season.
"Having such a strong start followed by 10 straight losses made us learn a lot as a team," she said. "We grew from it and realized going forward that we can't be surprised when things are going well. We need to stay grounded and not be complacent."
The season began with wins at Rider (1-0) and vs. Towson (4-1). Following a hard-fought defeat vs. perennial Atlantic 10 contender Richmond, the Mountain Hawks beat Georgetown at home (3-0) before going on the road and defeating Colgate (2-1) and Wagner (5-1) for the program's best start since 1983.
#TBT to Sunday and a 5-1 win at Wagner to improve to 5-1. Take an inside look at the victory. 🏑 pic.twitter.com/3GyOwg89AU
— Lehigh Field Hockey (@LehighFH) September 26, 2019
At that point, Lehigh stood top 25 nationally in the first NCAA RPI of the season. It was an incredible moment for the program. Even with the ensuing losing streak, it's still a very telling and notable accomplishment, signifying how far the program has already come and the potential it has.
"Yes, we put the work in all summer to be able to have a really great start, but it's consistency that really makes the difference in a season," said Dallmeyer. "In the future, we'll be more aware that consistency is something that needs to be continually worked on. At no point has anyone arrived, which, given our history, may have been a distraction at times."
Instead of dwelling on the 10 straight defeats and wondering "what if," the Mountain Hawks stuck together and kept working, ending the year with home wins over Saint Louis (4-0) and Boston University (2-1).
"We were able to get ourselves out of it, learning a lot of lessons through the experience," said Dallmeyer.
Well-Balanced Team
One significant characteristic of the 2019 Mountain Hawks was their well-roundedness. Whereas past years, Lehigh was stronger at one end of the field than the other, the most recent version consistently scored goals and kept the ball out of the cage.
There were a number of reasons why it happened, including the emergence of Pecora, who returned from a season-ending injury to score at a record pace and earn All-Region recognition (along with Havas). First-year Maddie Kahn impressed in goal, winning three Patriot League weekly awards. As a team, the Mountain Hawks won every weekly award at least once in a season for the first time in program history.
"The last couple years, we've been building up the strong defense with Lenke in the backfield, but we'd been missing the key, consistent scorers to really lead the team," said Dallmeyer. "We often had to rely on defenders to put the ball in the net off corners. It was nice to be able to have a forward line we could rely on to score without relying on a set play."
More than the points she racked up, Pecora contributed in another – more important – way.
"I believe Drew's leadership was most important," said Dallmeyer. "We haven't had a leader on the forward line like Drew, and she did a really nice job of being humble – not making it about herself, but making it about the success of the team. She was about really celebrating others and trying to set others up for success, and through that process, she stumbled upon her own."
You Couldn't Script It Any Better
The word success was a common word around the LUFH program in 2019. It's easy to think back to the season with a smile, due in large part to the way it ended.
"I feel my last game ever, our win over Boston University, exemplifies the team's growth," said Boyer. "Everyone worked to stay in the game for a full 60 minutes and to keep the tie. Then, we went into our first overtime of the season and again, everyone did their part which led to a great win."
It was simply a special afternoon on Senior Day for the student-athlete who has helped spearhead the LUFH transformation.
"I am always at a loss for words when people ask about my Senior Day because the day was so special," said Boyer. "If this win did not give the team validity and confidence across the Patriot League, then I am certain it at least gave the team confidence in their abilities to play with, and beat, a top team."
"It was a huge point in the program that we were able to come out with the win in a high-pressure game against a very talented team," said Dallmeyer. "I can't say that was necessarily a given coming into the year. It was something we built up.
"It was a sweet way to end."
Moving Forward
Moving forward, the Mountain Hawks are happy, but they're far from satisfied.
"I'll remember 2019 as the first season when our hard work, on and off the field, visibly paid off in results," said Havas. "We had a good taste of what the expectations will be for the future of this program. A 7-11 record is a great improvement from previous years, but the season also showed that we can do even better and strive for bigger goals."
The program's culture, which has taken years to develop, set the stage for an important season of progress.
"There was a lot of excitement and celebration around the process, which we've been working on for several years now," said Dallmeyer. "To see it come forward and have a really enjoyable season working hard and keeping perspective through the struggle was something we haven't had. That allowed us to not only have a good finish, but it also allowed us to continue moving up regionally.
"We want to have an above .500 record, which we haven't had in several decades. It's important we recognize that we're close and we had opportunities to make that happen this year, so we need to make sure we solidify areas moving forward."
The Mountain Hawks are poised for continued growth heading into the 2020 season. The program loses Boyer, an important contributor and leader, but returns the rest of the roster. Now, it's up to the rising seniors to take the reigns of the program and keep pushing it to continued bigger and better things.
"Amanda had a unique experience here because she came in at the same time as the coaches and really saw the process from the beginning. She saw where we were, understood where we wanted to be and helped us make strides in getting there," said Dallmeyer. "The rising seniors have seen the struggle first-hand from Amanda, the work she put in, and are committed to continuing it, and not allowing the team to fall back or regress in any way.
"It's a different era of leadership. Amanda was one in her class and took on a big burden whereas this class should be able to share that load because there are more of them who are poised and prepared to lead.
"We have athletes who are tired of being told they have potential," Dallmeyer continued. "They want to, and are willing to, create the success to be able to walk away as the program's best. I'm really happy with where we are because of the excitement around the future."
Players Mentioned
M
/ Field Hockey
D/M
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field HockeyField Hockey vs. Boston U.
Saturday, October 04
Field Hockey vs. LIU
Sunday, September 28
Lehigh Sports Central: Field Hockey
Wednesday, September 24
Field Hockey vs. Temple
Sunday, September 14
