Riporti and Vitello named All-Region
Complete United Soccer Coaches Release (Complete List of Teams)
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following impressive senior campaigns, Alyssa Riporti and Adrian Vitello have been named third team All-East Region honorees, as announced by the United Soccer Coaches (formally the NSCAA) late Tuesday. It marks the second straight season Riporti and Vitello were named third team All-Region after being named NSCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region last season.
Riporti and Vitello received the honor amongst an impressive East region, which includes the Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic 10, Ivy League and more. Riporti and Vitello are two of just eight honorees from the Patriot League. Lehigh's two honorees are second most in the league, only behind Navy (4) and more than Boston University and Bucknell, who each had one.
The Mountain Hawks placed student-athletes on the All-Region teams for the second straight season after previously not having an All-Region honoree since 2011 (Genna Pepe).
Riporti was named first team All-Patriot League for a second straight season, helping anchor an impressive Mountain Hawks' defense that allowed 12 goals in 18 games, the exact same marks as the year prior. Lehigh pitched nine shutouts to increase its total to 21 since the beginning of 2016, among the best marks in the nation and just one shy of the most combined shutouts in consecutive seasons in program history (22 from 2004-05). Riporti played all but six minutes on the season, helping the defense earn league shutouts over Army West Point, Boston University, American, Lafayette, Loyola and Holy Cross. A candidate for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award, Riporti was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week following Lehigh's weekend wins at Penn and Temple.
Meanwhile, Vitello continued her stellar play in the midfield, also earning her second straight first team All-League honor. Vitello started all 18 games in the midfield, dishing two assists - on the first goal at Temple and Lafayette, assisting on what proved to be the game-winner against the archrival Leopards. Vitello finished fourth on the team with 32 shots for the season. Her impact is felt far beyond statistics as she's an integral part of Lehigh's efforts, both offensively and defensively.
The Mountain Hawks wrapped up the 2017 season with a 9-5-4 record following a heartbreaking Patriot League Quarterfinal defeat at Colgate in overtime. Miller tied a career-high nine saves in the contest. The 2017 season saw plenty of highlights, including a 27-day stretch without a loss (from Sept. 3 to Sept. 30), a weekend sweep of Big East opponents Villanova and St. John's and winning four-of-five games to close out the regular season. Five Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League recognition, most since they also had five honorees during Lehigh's 2010 league championship campaign.
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