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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - After three straight games away from home, the Lehigh women's soccer team returns to the Ulrich Sports Complex for a big Patriot League matchup against Loyola Saturday night. Opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. After tight road defeats at Navy and Army West Point, the Mountain Hawks shut-out a strong Penn team on Monday night and look to take that momentum back into league play.
 
Lehigh used a first-half goal from sophomore Lexi Chang to take a 1-0 lead which proved to be the difference. The goal ended a scoreless drought for the Mountain Hawks as they look to get back on track after scoring 21 goals over the first seven games this season. Freshman Sabrina Mertz assisted the goal on a nifty through ball, and Chang did the rest for her first-career goal. The Lehigh defense kept Penn to primarily outside shots as senior goalkeeper Ani Nahapetian made 11 saves, with most opportunities coming from distance.
 
The Mountain Hawks have tied their previous two home games, to Holy Cross and Colgate, both scoreless finals. Four games into the league schedule and with five to go, Lehigh enters the weekend just three points out of sixth place (the final Patriot League Tournament position), four points out of fifth place and five points behind second place. Loyola is one of the teams tied for second place, earning seven points via a 2-1-1 record. The Mountain Hawks are 0-2-2 in the league.
 
The Greyhounds are 4-6-1 overall, impressing after a slow start to the season. Loyola fell at Boston University last time out, 4-1, after beginning the Patriot League slate with a win over Lafayette, tie at Navy and win against American. Rosy Hayes leads Loyola in scoring with 14 points behind six goals and two assists, with three of her goals as game-winners. Charlotte Miller (two goals, one assist) and Jess Soldiviero (one goal, three assists) are both tied for second with five points apiece. Colleen Folan has started all 11 games in goal, tallying a 1.73 goals against average and .695 save percentage.
 
Loyola leads the all-time series, 3-1-1, but the Mountain Hawks are 1-0-1 in the two meetings since the Greyhounds joined the Patriot League. Last season featured a scoreless tie while Lehigh beat Loyola for the first time in school history in 2013 by a 2-1 final.
 
Following Saturday's game, the Mountain Hawks hit the road for two games, at Princeton next Wednesday (Oct. 14) and Boston University next Saturday (Oct. 17).

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