BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Trailing 1-0 after Bucknell scored in the 62nd minute, the Lehigh women's soccer team answered less than eight minutes later and that turned into three goals in 12:18 as the Mountain Hawks picked up their first Patriot League win of the season in convincing fashion, 3-1 on Wednesday evening. Senior Maggie Wadsworth began the scoring in the 70th minute before freshman Julianna Bonner netted her first-career goal in the 81st minute followed by sophomore Rebecca Van Siclen's first of the season in the 82nd minute. Lehigh's three goals marked a season high.
 
"It shows we're growing as a team that we're able to respond after giving up a goal, and a pretty poor goal as well. We didn't let that affect us," said Lehigh head coach Eric Lambinus. "We used a Buddhist analogy of a second arrow, not letting the second arrow get us, and I thought we did a good job. We got hit by the first one, but we didn't allow ourselves to get hit by a second one. It was good to have that energy and then build upon it as well. Not just settle for the goal, but continue to go after it."
 
The Mountain Hawks controlled much of the game, holding an 11-4 edge in first-half shots and 13-6 advantage entering the 62nd minute. However, that's when Bucknell's Rylee Donaldson found herself on the other end of a free kick from midfield, beating Lehigh junior goalkeeper Miranda Royds from inside the box to give the Bison a 1-0 advantage.
 
Lehigh continued to work, and it led to the equalizer as Wadsworth deflected a Bucknell clearing attempt past goalkeeper Kaylee Donnelly. The ball hit one post before settling over the goal line, making the score 1-1 at the 69:39 mark.
 
The Mountain Hawks weren't satisfied, taking their first lead at 80:10 when sophomore Erin Keefe took a free kick from midfield, which Bonner headed from inside the box into the back of the goal.
 
Less than two minutes later, the score became 3-1 as Van Siclen headed a corner kick into the left side of the goal. On the play, Keefe picked up her second assist of the game after none in her first 28 career games.
 
Each side had one shot the rest of the way as the Mountain Hawks wrapped up the victory.
 
The first half saw a number of quality chances for Lehigh, including three shots on goal – from senior Kayla Arestivo (10th minute), freshman Ryelle Shuey (42nd minute) and Keefe (43rd minute). Royds wasn't forced to make her first save of the evening until the final minute of the first.
 
Final shots were 18-9 in favor of Lehigh while the Mountain Hawks held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks (including 5-1 in the second half). Royds finished with three saves, across Donnelly who made five.
 
"Corner kicks and free kicks are created because you work hard," said Lambinus. "That goal from Maggie is because we put pressure on the ball in the right spot, we put them under pressure and the ball goes in the back of the net. We needed a little bit of luck, but it's because we worked. Pretty proud that we continued to work, we gave up a goal, we didn't let the results from the past really bother us and we just came out and put the game away."
 
The Mountain Hawks return to action on Saturday as they travel to Navy to face the Midshipmen. Gametime is set for 8 p.m.

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