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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Following a season-opening draw against defending MAAC Champion Monmouth, the Lehigh women’s soccer team returns to action this weekend when it heads to Penn on Friday (8 p.m.) and Temple on Sunday (6 p.m.). The Mountain Hawks began the 2017 season much like they began 2016, with a scoreless tie against Monmouth.

 

Compared to last season’s meeting, which saw Monmouth hold a 28-4 edge in shots, Lehigh controlled play for long stretches on Friday and finished with a 14-8 shots’ advantage. The Mountain Hawks allowed just one shot on goal over the game’s first 66:48. They gave up three over the final stages of regulation, but sophomore goalkeeper Sam Miller stepped up big. She stopped them all, including a highlight-reel save in the 88th minute to help force overtime. In the end, she recorded her 13th-career shutout and earned her sixth-career Patriot League weekly award, garnering Goalkeeper of the Week honors.

 

Lehigh’s defense allowed zero goals and eight shots against a Monmouth team averaging nearly three goals and 18 shots last season. Meanwhile, sophomore Maggie Wadsworth led the Mountain Hawks in shots with five while freshman Ally Friedman was in the middle of two glittering scoring chances. In the first half, her shot looked ticketed for the back of the net, but was cleared off the line by a Monmouth defender. Midway through the second, Friedman set up junior Sabrina Mertz for an opportunity near the top of the box.

 

Friday marks the season opener for Penn, who finished last season 6-4-6, including 1-2-4 in the Ivy League. The team’s three leading scorers from last season all return; Emily Sands and Sasha Stephens tied for the team lead with 14 points (four goals, six assists apiece) while Emma Loving recorded 12 points behind a team-leading six goals. Goalkeeper Kitty Qu returns after playing more than 1,400 minutes a season ago with a 0.51 goals against average and 0.843 save percentage.

 

Penn leads the all-time series with Lehigh, 14-2-1 with the most recent meeting in 2015, a 1-0 Mountain Hawks’ victory. Lexi Chang scored the game’s only goal to give Lehigh its first-ever win at Penn.

 

Temple enters the weekend 1-1 after beating Fairleigh Dickinson (3-2 in overtime) and falling to La Salle (2-0). The Owls also play at Saint Joseph’s this Friday. So far, Julia Dolan, Kerri McGinley and Elana Falcone have scored Temple’s three goals while Jordan Nash has recorded a 1.97 GAA and 0.636 save percentage in 182:41. The Owls’ top four scorers from last season all return as Gabriella McKeown tallied 10 points (four goals, two assists), Sarah McGlinn and Kayla Cunningham had five points (two goals, one assist apiece) and Morgan Morocco posted four points (two goals) in 2016.

 

Lehigh leads the all-time series with Temple, 6-4-1, which includes three straight Mountain Hawk victories. In each of the last two seasons, the Mountain Hawks have won overtime thriller (3-2 in 2015 and 1-0 in 2016). Prior to 2015, the previous meeting was a Lehigh 2-0 win in 2005.

 

After this weekend, the Mountain Hawks return home next Thursday (Aug. 31) when they host Towson at 6 p.m.
 
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