TEANECK, N.J. – Playing just minutes from her hometown of Fair Lawn in New Jersey, junior Lisa Kestelboym scored the equalizer in the 80th minute to help the Lehigh women's soccer team to its second straight draw, 1-1 at Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday evening. Kestelboym's goal began a stretch of 13 Lehigh shots over the game's final 30:45 (final 10:45 of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime) after just two in the first 79+ minutes. The Mountain Hawks had some glittering chances down the stretch, including a rocket from sophomore Rebecca Van Siclen that hit the cross bar and post, but wouldn't go in.
 
"I thought as the game progressed, we got better and better," said Lehigh head coach Eric Lambinus. "We started to knock it around and create some chances. I was happy with the goal. It seemed to energize us and after we scored, we played a lot better."
 
Lehigh struggled to create offense for much of the game until Kestelboym's goal. After FDU attempted to clear a Lehigh free kick, sophomore Abby Furtman headed the ball to Kestelboym, who found the inside of the far post for the Mountain Hawks' first goal of the season.
 
"Coming home, it was great to have Lisa get a goal," said Lambinus. "She's striking the ball well and moving it well for us. She definitely deserved the goal and I think she's going to continue to get better. We have to continue to work on the rotation in there so she's not being forced to do too much, and we can share it a little bit. That's what Abby did well today for us.
 
"Abby has made great strides," Lambinus continued. "She's really fit; she came into preseason ready to play. She's making good decisions. She was one of our really good players throughout preseason and tonight, it really showed."
 
FDU scored its goal in the 25th minute as not long after a corner kick, Stasi Torchia gave the Knights a 1-0 lead amidst a group of players in front of the goal.
 
Junior goalkeeper Miranda Royds was stellar all game, making a strong save to her right in the 28th minute to keep Lehigh's deficit at 1-0. Early in the second half, Royds made another stellar save, deflecting a ball that looked ticketed for the back of the net off the cross bar, allowing her defense to clear it out of harm's way.
 
After the equalizer, the Mountain Hawks had some dangerous chances late in regulation. Included were two shots on goal from senior Kayla Arestivo, which Fitzgerald stopped. Lehigh kept the momentum going in overtime, with its best chance coming in the 106th minute as Van Siclen's rocket ricocheted off the cross bar and post. She followed up with a shot that was blocked, and Furtman also had a chance, but it sailed high.
 
Final shots were 16-15 in favor of FDU while Lehigh held a 6-5 edge in corner kicks. Royds and Fitzgerald both finished with seven saves.
 
The Mountain Hawks return to action on Sunday when they travel to Pittsburgh to face Duquesne at 12 p.m.
 
"The positive is that we've worked ourselves into games," said Lambinus. "We're fit. We have a deep team; we went pretty deep with our roster today. It tells me we have that fight and we have that toughness. But if we can start a game that way and get a lead, we can really play well. We have to play better and have more urgency at the beginning, then I think the game will come easier for us."
 
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