Lehigh set for PL Semifinals vs. Colgate
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Following a thrilling double overtime win at Bucknell Tuesday, the fifth-seeded Lehigh women's soccer team is set for the Patriot League Finals this Friday evening against second-seeded Colgate. The game will be played at Nickerson Field in Boston, hosted by No. 1 seed Boston University. The Lehigh vs. Colgate semifinal is set for 7:30 p.m. following Army West Point against the host Terriers at 4:30. With a win, the Mountain Hawks would advance to the Patriot League Championship Game for the first time since 2010.
Tuesday's Patriot League Quarterfinal win at Bucknell marked Lehigh's first postseason victory since beating Army 1-0 in the 2010 title game. That season, Lehigh began by beating Bucknell in the semifinals, 1-0. This Friday will mark the Mountain Hawks' first semifinal contest since 2012 and first since the Patriot League expanded to 10 teams (and league tournament expanded to six).
This season marks Lehigh's third straight trip to the Patriot League Tournament after being the No. 3 seed in 2016, No. 5 seed in 2017 and No. 5 seed once again this season. The Mountain Hawks are now 4-2 in their last six games vs. Patriot League foes, beating American (1-0), Lafayette (4-1) and Holy Cross (2-1) to get into the tournament before Tuesday's 2-1 quarterfinal victory. The Bucknell contest played out similarly to the regular-season finale, as the opponent scored first early in the first half, the Mountain Hawks pulled even by halftime and won late in the game. At Holy Cross, the winning goal came in the 85th minute off the foot of junior Sidonie Warnercker. At Bucknell, it was junior Kayla Arestivo who scored with two seconds remaining in the second overtime to give Lehigh the win in thrilling fashion. A first team All-Patriot League honoree, Arestivo has now scored in three straight games and leads the Mountain Hawks in goals (5) and points (12) this season.
Lehigh is now 4-6-1 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament, winning once in 2004, twice in 2010 and then this past Tuesday. The Mountain Hawks are 0-2 all-time vs. Colgate in the tournament, dropping a 1-0 final last season in a game that went down to the wire, along with a 2-0 final in 2004.
Colgate is 11-3-3 on the season, finishing Patriot League play at 7-1-1. The Raiders were in first place for much of the season, but fell to Boston University 1-0 in the final regular season contest last Saturday to drop to the No. 2 seed. Mara Cosentino leads the Raiders in goals (6) and points (12) while Ellis Miller isn't far behind with 11 points (four goals, three assists). Colgate is well balanced, with 12 players posting at least one point. Kelly Chiavaro has started 15-of-17 games in goal, tallying a 0.46 GAA and 0.908 save percentage.
The Raiders lead the all-time series with Lehigh, 20-7-3. Lehigh's last win came on Oct. 21, 2012 by a 1-0 final but since, the Mountain Hawks have tied twice, both in 2015 and 2017 (regular season).
If the Mountain Hawks win on Friday, they would advance to Sunday's Patriot League Championship Game at 2 p.m., also at Boston University (regardless of Friday's semifinal results). Lehigh is vying to reach its third-ever Patriot League Championship Game (also 2004 and 2010) where it would be searching for its second league title.
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