BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women’s lacrosse team will look to bounce back following a recent rough stretch when it returns home to host Colgate in a big Patriot League showdown on Saturday. Gametime is set for 1 p.m. at the Ulrich Sports Complex. The Mountain Hawks hope to even their league mark at 1-1 while snapping a two-game losing streak against the Raiders.
After a tough first half at #2 Florida Tuesday, Lehigh did turn things around in the second. The Mountain Hawks were only outscored 4-2 while owning a 5-2 advantage in draw controls and hanging tough in shots and groundballs. Senior Carli Sukonik and freshman Kris Abens scored Lehigh’s two goals while senior MaryLeah DiNisco made six second-half saves.
Sukonik leads the team with 13 points (12 goals, one assist) while senior Julie McBrien has 11 (11 goals). McBrien also leads the team in groundballs (11) and draw controls (15) while sophomore Kelly Scott has a team-leading seven caused turnovers.
Saturday marks Lehigh’s second league game of the season after dropping a 14-4 final at Navy last week. The Mountain Hawks remain home to host Fairfield on Wednesday and Bucknell next Saturday (Mar. 23).
The Raiders are 3-4 on the young season, owning wins over Vermont, Marist and Bucknell while falling to Hofstra, UMBC, Cornell and Drexel. Kate Sheridan leads the team in assists (17) and points (22) while Alison Flood owns a team-leading 17 goals and Amanda Sullivan is second with 16. Jenna Frost has a team-leading 19 groundballs and 10 caused turnovers Flood and Lauren Gorajek leads the squad with 17 draw controls apiece. Jennie Berglin has started all seven games in goal with a 12.00 GAA and 41.0 save percentage.
Colgate leads the all-time series, 2011, including wins in each of the past two seasons. Lehigh had won two straight (2009 and 2010) and three of the previous five. The sides first met in 1981, a 6-5 Lehigh victory. Lehigh won eight of the first 13, but Colgate responded with a 10-game winning streak from 1998-2006.
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