BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Coming off an impressive 1-0 win over Ivy League power Columbia, the Lehigh women’s soccer teams plays games three and four of its six-game homestand when it hosts American on Friday (7 p.m.) and Navy on Sunday (1 p.m.). The Mountain Hawks eye their first Patriot League victory after dropping a tough 2-1 final against Lafayette last Saturday.

Lehigh bounced back with a strong effort on Monday night against the Lions. The sides went to overtime for the third straight season; after two consecutive ties, it was freshman Sophie Mayeux who made sure it wouldn’t happen again as her golden goal gave the Mountain Hawks a much-needed victory. That snapped a mini three-game losing skid and gave Lehigh its first overtime victory since last September against Marist.

 

Freshman Ashley Blanks stood tall in goal, making two saves for her second shutout of the season. Sophomore Heather Camperson and senior Hannah Cochran stepped in at center back to help hold a strong Columbia offense to only seven total shots for the game.

 

American holds a 4-8-1 record, 0-1-0 in league play after dropping a 3-2 overtime heartbreaker to Navy. The Eagles are led by Jasmine Mohandesi, who has nine points via three goals and three assists. Carleigh Morba and Samantha Trotta each have four points as well behind two goals while Nicole Paviglionite has three (one goal, one assist). A pair of goalkeepers has seen significant action this season, led by Arianna Efstathiou who has started six games with a 1.68 GAA and .730 save percentage. Klare Lazor has started seven times, posting a 1.74 GAA and .649 save percentage.

 

The Eagles hold an 8-4-1 lead in the all-time series. Lehigh dropped five of the first six meetings before responding with two straight from 2004-05. Then, after three straight defeats, the Mountain Hawks have bounced back by winning in 2009 and earning a tie last year.

 

The Midshipmen have enjoyed a strong season to date, entering the weekend with an 8-3-2 record. The squad is a dominant 5-1-0 at home and 3-2-2 on the road. Leading a balanced offense is Paloma Perez with seven points (three goals, one assist). Three others have six points - Sam Newhaller (three goals), Caprice Kelty (three goals) and Brittany Fruin (two goals, two assist). In total, 16 different Navy players have recorded at least one point. Meanwhile, Alexes Lopez-Shaw has started 12 of 13 games in goal, posting a stellar 0.86 GAA and .800 save percentage.

 

Navy owns a 12-3-4 advantage all time, but the Mountain Hawks have battled hard, earning a tie in two of the last four meetings, including last season. Lehigh began the all-time series with a bang, winning two straight (in both 1993 and ’94).

 

Following this weekend, the Mountain Hawks round out their six-game homestand when they host perennial Ivy League power Princeton on Wednesday before welcoming Army on Saturday for a rematch of last year’s Patriot League Championship Game. Both games are set to kick off at 7 p.m.