BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Coming off a stellar weekend between the pipes, freshman Ashley Blanks has been recognized with Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week laurels, as announced by the league on Monday. Blanks pitched three shutouts in three games last week, stopping all 15 shots sent her way in a trio of 1-0 wins over Columbia, American and Navy.

 

Blanks recorded her second, third and fourth-career shutouts, all in a seven-day span, which lowered her goals against average from 1.63 (before the week) to 1.18 following a seven-save effort against Navy. Her save percentage also jumped 70 points, from .717 to .787.

 

The freshman from North Andover, Mass. began last Monday against Columbia by making a pair of stops in a thrilling 1-0 overtime victory over perennial Ivy League power Columbia, Lehigh’s first win over the Lions since 1993. Columbia had entered winners of four of its previous five games.

 

Blanks was even better in a pair of league contests over the weekend, making six saves against American Friday, four coming in the first half to keep the game scoreless after 45 minutes. She one-upped that with seven stops in another 1-0 win against Navy, five coming after halftime. This came against the Midshipmen, who entered Sunday ninth in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Rankings after posting a 7-3-2 nonleague record.

 

Senior Leah Kulp was also recognized with honorable mention laurels. She sparked the offense in both Patriot League games over the weekend, scoring the game’s only goal against American Friday while assisting on the only score versus Navy.

 

Lehigh returns to action on Wednesday when it welcomes Ivy League foe Princeton to the Ulrich Sports Complex. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The Mountain Hawks remain home on Saturday when they host Army in a rematch of last year’s Patriot League Championship Game. It will also be Senior Night as Jana Basubas, Megan Cain, Hannah Cochran, Leah Kulp, Ali MacLeod and Genna Pepe will be honored prior to the match.