By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
 
In the Lehigh women's soccer team's season opener at Monmouth, head coach Eric Lambinus knew that the 2016 Mountain Hawks had the ingredients for a successful season.
 
"Team shape wise, we were all over the place. We were not organized, but we saw the grit and determination that the players had defensively," said Lambinus. "I'm not just talking about our back line and goalie, but all 11 players on the field. They all had a willingness to defend."
 
That willingness led the Mountain Hawks to eight straight shutouts to begin the season as their shutout streak reached 832:31 dating back to 2015. Lehigh was the last team in the nation to allow the goal and finished the season allowing just 0.67 goals per game (best in the Patriot League). Freshman goalkeeper Sam Miller posted 12 shutouts in 18 games; her 0.667 shutout percentage is tied for 15th in NCAA history for a single season.
 
"We say, you've got to fight like you would fight if somebody was trying to drown you in a pool. That's how you fight defensively," said Lambinus. "We saw that individual ability and determination at Monmouth and we just needed to organize ourselves a little bit better."
 
The team organized itself quite well, which led to shutouts of LIU Brooklyn, Marist, Mount St. Mary's, Binghamton, Villanova, Holy Cross and Temple.
 
In the end, Miller didn't allow a goal for the first 758:34 of the season (and her career). That mark stands 26th in NCAA history.
 
"There was only one returning player on our back line, who played in that role in 2015 (Alyssa Riporti)," said Lambinus. "Having Sam do well at the beginning of her career gave not only her a lot of confidence, but also our team."
 
Building a Foundation
The foundation for success was built before the preseason even began.
 
"At the end of 2015, the team decided they wanted to be better," said Lambinus. "Better can be a result on the field, but even more so, just the feeling within the program. They definitely wanted to enjoy the experience more."
 
The 2015 season saw plenty of highlights, but ended with a tough 1-0 loss at American, a game Lehigh was looking to win to make the Patriot League Tournament.
 
"The team knew we were better than our results," said senior Tori Pantaleo. "We knew we still needed to take one more step before we could become a championship team. The end to our 2015 season lit a fire under all of us to train really hard in the spring and summer."
 
"We left 2015 knowing that we had to make some changes in order to progress as a team," said junior Alyssa Riporti. "There was a hunger at the end of the season to get better and achieve at a higher level. I think that reflected in our gritty and passionate play this season."
 
The student-athletes needed to spark change. They needed to be actors in the process.
 
"They were willing to do a lot of different things," said Lambinus. "We worked with them on areas that we could definitely improve, such as team chemistry and just the way we approached every single day.
 
"Another area we specifically addressed was our mental toughness," Lambinus continued. "We worked with our counseling center, with Dr. Ian Birky and Dr. Blakely Low, over the course of two semesters, putting the team in the best positions possible to be successful. We worked a lot on what to take care of off the field so when we step on the field in practice or games, we have the right mental state of mind to be successful."
 
Team chemistry and intangible aspects weren't poor before the 2016 season, but the Mountain Hawks were determined to take the program to the next step and understood some of the small, but important, details, which needed to be fine-tuned.
 
"There were some bumps along the way, but the team was really committed to being better," said Lambinus. "They wanted to feel better about themselves when they walked onto the field. We definitely had to work on our fitness. There were a couple things we added with our periodization training and Fit For 90 program, which really helped us in that process."
 
The Preseason
Since the foundation was in place from hard work over the summer, the Mountain Hawks came into preseason well-equipped to tackle whatever was thrown their way.
 
"We had one of our highest passing percentages of our fitness testing, so they really made sure they worked together as a group," said Lambinus. "The upperclassmen didn't only integrate the freshmen class, but they also integrated between classes. They really built a good foundation of team chemistry. They spent time together, got to know each other and looked out for each other."
 
"It's crucial that all classes are looking out for one another and creating a bond off of the field," said Riporti. "This year, there were tight bonds from the seniors down to the freshman, and that was evident in our play. Trust off of the field creates trust on the field. We focused on playing for each other, and it was special because it was genuine."
 
It took time for Lehigh to get rolling this preseason, but because the foundation was in place, they stayed together and unified. Eventually, the success came.
 
"We got better as the season progressed," said Lambinus. "We had some dips, but we were able to overcome them. Our level of fitness, chemistry and willingness to work and improve helped us enjoy a more successful season."
 
The Season
Lehigh began the season 7-0-1. Its seven-game winning streak tied a school record while its eight-game unbeaten streak set a new mark (not just to begin a season, but any point of the year). Although there were a number of positives from the start, one drawback was that the Mountain Hawks didn't face much adversity in the early going.
 
"Once we got to Patriot League play with the Colgate and Navy games, that's when we really saw some adversity," said Lambinus. "We responded well, but we almost wished we would've seen that earlier."
 
When adversity did come their way, the Mountain Hawks responded. They lost a 3-2 overtime heartbreaker at Colgate, a game which snapped their winning streak, unbeaten streak and shutout streak, then they dropped a tough 3-0 final to Navy.
 
"All of a sudden, we were in these big moments at end of games where we didn't have any experience," said Lambinus. "I don't know if we knew how to respond."
 
The season could have gone many directions, but Lehigh followed with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Army West Point.
 
Lehigh later dropped hard-fought games at home to Princeton and Boston University, but again responded. The Mountain Hawks ended the regular season with three straight wins, including one of the season's bigger wins in college soccer, beating previously undefeated (13-0-1) Bucknell on the road, 3-2. Lehigh blitzed the Bison in the first half, taking a 3-0 advantage. The Bison had allowed just six goals over their first 14 games coming in.
 
"We wanted to play a certain way and we had a pretty good game plan," said Lambinus. "The players bought into it right away, executed and all of a sudden, you're up 3-0 against a very good team."
 
"I know everyone on this team, especially the seniors will be talking about that win for a long time," said Pantaleo. "Amongst the four of us, it was the favorite memory of our careers. The win not only helped us clinch a spot in the Patriot League Tournament, but it also proved that we have the ability to compete with anyone. It's easy to psych yourself out knowing you're playing a great team, but that win was a mental victory. We prepared and didn't let other factors get in the way of our play."  
 
Building Blocks for the Future
Lehigh earned the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament and dropped a 1-0 double overtime heartbreaker to Lafayette in the quarterfinals. A memorable 2016 season saw the Mountain Hawks win as many games as their 2010 championship season, earn four All-Patriot League honors and an Academic All-League honor. Juniors Roporti and Adrian Vitello also garnered Lehigh's first All-Region honors since 2014.
 
Out of Lehigh's four All-League players, Riporti, Vitello and Miller all return in 2016.
 
More than returning talent, Lambinus hopes the team's experiences through the rigors of a season will help pay dividends down the road.
 
"Now, we have a little bit of experience in those key moments," he said. "We showed that we can play pretty well, we showed that we can rebound and we showed that you can't really knock us down because we continue to work."
 
The Mountain Hawks are close, beating the eventual Patriot League Champion Bucknell while falling in the final minute against runner-up Boston University.
 
"The most bittersweet part of the season is knowing how close we were," said Lambinus.
 
"This year was eye-opening for everyone on the team," said Riporti. "It showed the returning players that we can play with anyone and showed the freshmen how we do things the Lehigh women's soccer way. Now that the team knows we can compete at the highest level and we've experienced a high level of play, we can learn to win vs. other high-level teams."
 
Leadership for the Future
The Mountain Hawks are in a strong position, leadership-wise. This past season, they had strong leaders which really set the tone.
 
"Everyone individually, especially our seniors, have unique leadership styles and strengths, and we worked a lot on how to positively affect the team," said Lambinus. "It also allowed some of our younger players, like Alyssa Riporti, Sabrina Mertz, Grace Correll and Amanda Stratton take on different roles for us, which we needed because they weren't fighting to be the leader. They each understood their strengths and were able to lead this team in their own way."
 
Understanding one's role is critical for a successful team.
 
"Knowing your role is a crucial part of team chemistry," said Riporti. "Different roles develop in different ways and people have different strengths. There are some people who set the tone, the work level and the energy, and others follow that work rate on the field. Then, we have a few players who play a crucial role from the sideline. These players are just as important as any others, which I say all the time and really mean.
 
"I look to those players on the sideline during games," Riporti continued. "Those are the people who make me better and challenge me every single day in practice." 
 
The program has leaders, like Riporti, ready to take Lehigh women's soccer to new heights. One of the primary reasons for the student-athletes' leadership development has been Lehigh Athletics' Leadership Academy.
 
"Our team was very good at being proactive and putting what they've learned into action," said Lambinus. "They understand our five pillars - self-awareness, integrity, competitiveness, team first and toughness. They were really putting those things into practice every single day. We saw instances where they foresaw things that were taking place and they went and addressed them on their own."
 
Looking Ahead
The Mountain Hawks lose four key seniors who all played important roles on the team, but the pieces are in place to be successful moving into the future. The team is happy about the strides it made in 2016, but isn't satisfied.
 
"There is a hunger to do better - to play better soccer and to control games a little bit more," said Lambinus. "We saw glimpses of it. Every day, they really enjoyed playing. They enjoyed being together and they enjoyed practice. That's a big deal."
 
"I am already itching to get after the new season," said Riporti. "I have high expectations for this group that I know we can fulfill if we continue to challenge each other and work together, day in and day out. This offseason will be focused on taking the next step competitively and figuring out how to perform under pressure." 
 
Thinking back to this season, Lambinus is most satisfied about the growth he saw (and will continue to see) with his student-athletes.
 
"You could see a maturity in Alyssa, from her sophomore year to her junior year and the way she communicated with the coaching staff and her fellow student-athletes," he said. "Even a player like Sabrina (Mertz), who didn't play as well at the beginning of the year, stuck with it and ended up scoring against the two best teams in the league and finishing off the season very strongly. Then there's somebody like Tori who in the last 10 games of her career, the lightbulb really clicked."
 
For Lambinus, seeing the growth right before his eyes was gratifying. It's why he coaches.
 
"Seeing how Madeline Walsh developed as a student-athlete and seeing her impact on our SAC (Student-Athlete Council) program is really gratifying," said Lambinus. "All the struggles student-athletes might go through over their careers are worth it because of the end product."
 
Unfortunately, that product ended very quickly and everyone is antsy to get going again.
 
"We still have a lot of work to do," said Lambinus. "We sped up, then the season just ended. It's a long time before we play a game, so we have to reflect on the year, give the players a little bit of a break then get back after it. There's a good optimism around the program, but everyone knows there are still some steps we have to take."
 
The Mountain Hawks know they wouldn't be put in a position to succeed without the support of others.
 
"We are very fortunate to be at Lehigh where our athletic department prioritizes development, education and process, even when that might hinder our ability to find success in the short term," said Lambinus. "Our entire athletic department, led by Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett, is invested in our women's soccer program and everyone works together to build a program where success is an outcome of planning, execution and review of plan. Our student-athlete receive an amazing amount of support to help them succeed, not only in soccer, but all areas of being a student-athlete. Our team this past year took advantage of that support and are beginning to understand how to utilize it to become even better."