BETHLEHEM, PA - Monmouth University netted a pair of second half scores to rally from a one-goal deficit, before battling to a 2-2 double overtime draw at Lehigh University on Friday night. Monmouth, which competed in its third straight overtime match and second straight double overtime draw, moves to 4-1-2 on the season.

 

Trailing 1-0 at the half, Monmouth knotted the contest at 1-1 in the 73rd minute when junior Rachael Ivanicki (Marlboro, NJ/Colts Neck) found classmate Erica Murphy (Millstone Township, NJ/Pennington Prep) in the box for her team-leading fourth goal of the season. The Hawks captured the lead 2-1 just five and half minutes later when senior Colleen Howard's (Mount Laurel, NJ/Holy Cross) found junior Alexis McTamney (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Regional), who fired a long shot into the net for her third of the year.

 

"We have to play our style for the entire game which we did not do tonight," stated head coach Krissy Turner. "It is a positive that we battled back and then took the lead. However, we have a lot of work to do over the next week in order to be prepared for the MAAC season."

 

Lehigh took a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute and answered Monmouth's go-ahead score in the 82nd minute to knot the match at 2-2.

 

Monmouth, which held an 11-3 edge in corner kick opportunities, fired a season-high 31 shots, nine of which came in the overtime sessions.

 

Junior Sydney Lavan (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial), who made five saves in the first half, tied a career-high with six stops for the Hawks, while her counterpart Ani Nahapetian was forced to make 12 saves for the Mountain Hawks (3-2-1).

 

Ivanicki's assist increased her point total to seven in her first season with the Hawks, while Howard added her first assist of the year, and the third of her career.

 

Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, September 19, when the Hawks open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action against Marist at 7:00 p.m. on Hesse Field.

 

@MUWSoccer -- #FlyHawks