BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following four straight games on the road, the Lehigh women's soccer team returns home for the first time in nearly three weeks when it hosts UMBC on Friday (6 p.m.) and Saint Joseph's on Sunday (3 p.m.). Sunday's contest can be seen live, for free, through the Patriot League Network. Fans can follow on Friday via live stats.
 
The Mountain Hawks enter the weekend without a win in six games, but only two losses. At 0-2-4, Lehigh has been in every game down the stretch, and has come close to winning multiple contests. Each of the Mountain Hawks' last five games have gone to double overtime, with a mark of 0-1-4 in that stretch. Last weekend, Lehigh posted scoreless ties at Temple and Fordham. The Mountain Hawks' four ties in their first six games have come after none all of last season.
 
Lehigh's defense has been strong throughout, allowing just five goals through six games. The back line's last line of defense, junior Miranda Royds, was recognized on Monday with Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week honors – her first-career weekly award. She stopped all 10 shots sent her way against the Owls and Rams, which included a second-half diving save.  For the season, Royds owns a 0.71 goals against average and 86.8 save percentage.
 
UMBC is 1-2-2 on the season, beating Mount St. Mary's (3-0) while tying NJIT and Saint Francis (Pa.). The Retrievers are coming off a 1-0 defeat at Towson last time out. Danielle Fuentes leads the team in goals (2), assists (2) and points (6) while Laura Ventura and Christina Corbl also have two goals apiece. Alyssa Minnick has seen the majority of time in goal, tallying a 0.78 goals against average and 85.0 save percentage.
 
Lehigh leads the all-time series with UMBC, 2-0-1, most recently tying the Retrievers on the road in 2017, 1-1. Friday will mark the first meeting in Bethlehem since the first head-to-head game between the two sides, a 2-1 Lehigh victory on Oct. 25, 2000.
 
Saint Joseph's stands 3-2-1 on the year, heading into a Thursday evening contest at Columbia. Most recently, the Hawks fell at Pitt by a 2-0 final. Saint Joe's owns wins over Drexel (1-0), Stony Brook (1-0) and James Madison (2-1) with a tie vs. Villanova. Last season, Saint Joseph's earned the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic 10's eight-team tournament, advancing to the conference semifinals. This year, Gabrielle Vagnozzi leads the offense, scoring two of the Hawks' five goals. A pair of goalkeepers have each started multiple games, with Emily Cuccio posting a 0.95 GAA and 84.0 save percentage in 380:00, and Cameron Perrott recording a 0.50 GAA and 88.9 save percentage in 180:00.
 
The Mountain Hawks are 6-9-1 all-time vs. Saint Joseph's. The teams met to open the 2018 season, a 2-0 Saint Joe's win. The previous meeting was the last time the teams played at Lehigh, and the Mountain Hawks were victorious, 3-2.
 
Following this weekend, Lehigh will open Patriot League play when it hosts Loyola on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m.
 
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