BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women's soccer senior class has certainly left its mark on the program. As freshmen, this group helped lead the Mountain Hawks to their first-ever Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. This class advanced to two Patriot League Tournaments and has helped set up the program for continued success in the future. The class represents five different states and various positions, including several players who have changed positions throughout their careers. This class has excelled in the classroom as well, posting an average GPA of 3.2.

With Senior Day coming up on Saturday, Lehighsports.com caught up with the six seniors to get thoughts on their career in the Brown and White.
 
#1 Ali Griffin - Goalkeeper - Islip, N.Y. - Architecture

Griffin has played a key role on the Mountain Hawks over the past four years. As a freshman, she learned from All-Patriot League goalie Lauren Mains, starting two games during that championship season which included a shutout. As a sophomore, Griffin played in three games (two starts), pitching another shutout. She started four games last season highlighted by a four-save effort at Columbia to help lead Lehigh to its first win at Columbia since 1993. Griffin has impressed in the classroom, making the Dean's List on multiple occasions while staying active as a member of SAM (Student-Athlete Mentors).

 
What's your favorite Lehigh women's soccer memory up until this point?
AG: My favorite memory up until this point is every moment that the team makes me laugh or smile. From countless jokes to slippery falls to moments of brilliance, there is never a dull moment with this team. I will miss it all.
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
AG: The relationship of the senior class is certainly unique. We all have different personalities, but somehow blend together spectacularly. Each of us brings something special to the table and together we make the perfect group.

Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind?
AG: The feeling going into Senior Day is sad. It's surreal that my career as a Lehigh women's soccer player is coming to an end. I have learned so much from such a privilege. I wish the program and the team the best of luck in the future.
 
What will you miss most about Lehigh women's soccer?
AG:  What I will miss most is the dynamic of our team. We are the perfect combination of characters that have the utmost of fun together.
 
What are your postgraduate plans?
MG: My postgraduate plans include working for an architecture firm as a Junior Architect while working towards my license to practice as a Senior Architect.

#2 Murphee Greeley - Midfield/Forward - Devon, Pa. - Global Studies

A contributor from day one, Greeley scored three goals and added four assists in just 11 games as a freshman before her season was cut short due to injury. She helped lead Lehigh to big early-season victories and finished fourth on the team in scoring despite missing eight games. Greeley earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors in late September following a one-goal, two assist week. She went on to score five goals and add one assist as a sophomore to earn First Team All-Patriot League honors before scoring six goals and dishing two assists as a junior. She garnered Second Team All-League laurels in 2012. Greeley has been extremely active in the leadership realm as a two-time team captain. Greeley has been a member of COACH, Student-Athlete Committee, Student-Athlete Executive Council and Leadership Legacies. She also garnered the Class of 1904 Leadership Award from the university.

 
What's your favorite Lehigh women's soccer memory up until this point?
MG: Karaoke on the bus rides home from away games.
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
MG: Our senior class has a unique group relationship and special individual relationships that have developed throughout our years here at Lehigh. My relationship with every other senior has been essential in shaping me to become the student-athlete and person that's so different today than four years ago. Each relationship is very special to me, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will continue to value and build these friendships once our season and our LUWS careers are over.

Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind?
MG: Every year, I have watched the seniors on Senior Day and have wonder what it feels like to be in their shoes. It doesn't feel real. Not only is it hard coming to terms with the fact that my soccer career is coming to an end, but it's also very hard to wrap my head around how fast the last four seasons went.
 
What will you miss most about Lehigh women's soccer?
MG:  The two things that I will miss most about Lehigh women's soccer are the memories that you make with your teammates at the most unexpected times, and the people of Lehigh Athletics who our unconditionally supportive of your athletic, academic and personal endeavors.
 
What are your postgraduate plans?
MG: I would love to end up in the music industry, working with or as a music supervisor.

#10 Paige Dyrek - Defense - Monrovia, Calif. - Biology

Dyrek made an immediate impact in the Brown and White, playing in 18 games her freshman year (including one start) while posting two goals and an assist during Lehigh's championship season. She scored her first-career goal against La Salle, which proved to be the game-winner and added her second goal vs. Holy Cross to earn Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors. Dyrek followed by scoring a goal and adding an assist as a sophomore before posting two goals and an assist as a junior. She moved to defense to start her senior season and has playd in 14 games (10 starts) while dishing an assist. A standout in the classroom, Dyrek owns an impressive 3.51 GPA, making the Dean's List on several occasions and earning 2012 Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. She is also part of Lehigh's Leadership Legacies program.

 
What's your favorite Lehigh women's soccer memory up until this point?
PD: Although beating Army my freshman year in the Patriot League Championship was incredibly exciting, it was the following game against Virginia that really resonates with me today. We played a top-ranked Virginia team on their home field, and we played them well. I'll never forget all the hype that came with that game, and the huge crowd at Klockner Stadium that came to show their support. Although we didn't beat Virginia, our first NCAA Tournament experience was one that didn't disappoint.

Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
PD: Anyone who observes this senior class can immediately see that we're a really close group of girls. We've been with each other for four years, through thick and thin, and I can't begin to explain how much each one of them means to me. Through our array of unique personalities, there's an unbelievable amount of love and respect for each other. I've never laughed harder than I have with these girls, and I know that our relationships will continue far past our soccer careers.

Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind?
PD: Senior Day is definitely bittersweet. Soccer has been a huge part of my life for nearly 16 years now, and it's hard to believe that it's coming to an end. Senior Day is my final opportunity to wear #10. To me, it's a way to pay homage to everything the sport has given me, and to everyone who has helped, motivated and challenged me along this terrific journey.

What will you miss most about Lehigh women's soccer?
PD:  On this final day, I reflect on all the experiences and memories that I will truly miss. I'll definitely miss the unparalleled anxiety that comes with fitness testing, the incessant eating during preseason, the pre-game jitters, the tailgates, the 5AM wake-up calls and the feeling of victory and defeat. I'll miss everything about competing, and there will always be a spot in my heart for this incredibly rewarding sport.

What are your postgraduate plans?
PD: After taking the MCAT in the Spring of 2013, I will take a gap year to work and volunteer in order to prepare myself for the rigors of medical school.
             
#16 Heather Camperson - Defense - Springfield, Va. - Supply Chain Management

Camperson played in just two games as a freshman, learning from a talented senior class, before using that experience to play in all but one game since (including 45 starts). Camperson was a key part of the back line as a sophomore and junior before moving to midfield to start this season. She has shown her versatility, both defensively and offensively, using her speed from the back line to create offensive opportunities. Camperson owns an impressive 3.31 GPA, has cracked the Dean's List on multiple occasions and has been a Student-Athlete Mentor.

 
What's your favorite Lehigh women's soccer memory up until this point?
HC: There are so many memories from these last four years that it's hard to pick just one. The one that stands out the most though is winning the Patriot League Championship my freshmen year. Being a part of the program's first ever PLC is something I will never forget and something I will always be proud of.
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
HC: This senior class is extremely close.  We all have big personalities, but we mesh really well together.  In these last four years, these girls have gone from strangers to me, to now my best friends. We started off with eight girls and are now at six, but we are still extremely close with the two other girls. I think that speaks volumes to the types of relationships that athletics fosters. 
 
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind?
HC: It is hard to believe that we are going into Senior Day. I don't know where all the time has gone. As my college soccer days are limited, I'm thinking of all the countless practices and tournaments my parents took me to in order for me to get where I am today. Without their love and support, I wouldn't be the player I am.  I am extremely sad that I will never again put on a Lehigh #16 jersey, but I know I will never hang up my cleats. Soccer will always be a part of my life and I look forward to following the success LUWS has in the future.
 
What will you miss most about Lehigh women's soccer?
HC: I will miss so much about LUWS, even fitness testing. But what I will miss the most is my teammates, without a question. There is no better feeling than going into the locker room after a long day of school and getting to see your best friends.  I'll miss playing with them and I will definitely miss getting to see them on a regular basis.
 
What are your postgraduate plans?
HC: I will be working as a consultant for IBM upon graduation and can go to any of the major cities (Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, DC, etc.), but I'm thinking of choosing New York City.
 
#18 Katie Gavalchin - Midfield - Robbinsville, N.J. - Behavioral Neuroscience

Gavalchin has seen action from day one, playing nine games as a freshman including significant time in the Patriot League Championship Game, helping set up the lone goal in that title game. Gavalchin played nine games as a sophomore and 14 as a junior, including one start per season. She moved to defense this season and has started all 16 games in spearheading the back line. Gavalchin has excelling, earning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors following Lehigh's 2-1 win over Loyola. Gavalchin owns an impressive 3.50 GPA, has made the Dean's List on multiple occasions and garnered the Faculty Athletics Council Award several times.

What's your favorite Lehigh women's soccer memory up until this point?
KG: It's impossible to pick a single favorite memory. There are entirely too many great ones. What I can tell you is that the experience as a whole has been unbelievable. There is so much love on this team. Love of teammates, love of the game, and love of improving every day to become the program we want to be. In my four years here, I never thought there would be so many instances where I'd laugh until I cry or cry until I was forced to laugh. The shared passion for the game in combination with being surrounded by the most amazing group of personalities is the best experience one could ever ask for.
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
KG: One day for practice, we were divided into teams according to class for a 6v6 tournament. It was 2011 and a fall nor'easter was in full swing. It rained for consecutive days and seemingly the heaviest came around the times when we had practice. During the tournament, our passes were never completed because the ball kept getting stuck in puddles and the field was so muddy that no one could stay on their feet. Being the competitive group we are, no one was satisfied with this and we all began chaotically yelling at each other to pull it together. We, as sophomores at the time, went on to win the tournament. In that moment, and as a class, we truly put the fun in dysfunctional.
 
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind?
KG: I'm in complete denial. I've spent so much time playing soccer and with the team that I haven't really thought of my career as being finite. Now that my time is coming to an end, I feel the need to tell everyone to cherish every single moment on this team. I am so blessed for having gotten the privilege to play for Lehigh.
 
What will you miss most about Lehigh women's soccer?
KG: Hands down, playing soccer with THESE girls. I genuinely believe each individual on this team is a wonderful person, player and friend. I am so thankful for the unique relationship that I have formed with each and every LUWSer over the past four years. It's the soccer that brings you together but it's your teammates that keep you together.
 
What are your postgraduate plans?
KG: If all goes well, I hope to begin graduate school for physician's assistant studies in late summer/fall of 2014.
 
#20 Rosie Vitta - Forward - Oceanside, N.Y. - Architecture

Despite battling through injuries, Vitta has persevered to make her mark on the program, both on and off the field. The highlight came last season when she played in 13 games while scoring one goal. Her first-career goal gave Lehigh a 1-0 lead over regionally-ranked Marist. Vitta followed by playing eight games this season, firing two shots. A member of the 2012 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Vitta has also garnered the Faculty Athletics Council Award on multiple occasions for semester GPAs over 3.2.

 
What's your favorite Lehigh women's soccer memory up until this point?
RV: My favorite Lehigh soccer memory was traveling out to California and winning the St Mary's Classic. It was such an awesome experience to travel across the country with my teammates and win the tournament. 
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
RV: My classmates are my best friends. We've all been through four years of Lehigh soccer in four different seasons with four entirely different teams. Through this time, I've developed such a special relationship with each of them and truly cherish our connection as a class. 
 
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind?
RV: Approaching Senior Day is an overwhelming feeling. It's forced me to reflect on my years as a soccer player and bring the realization that's it's all about to be over. While soccer has been a part of me my entire life, I will be ending my career with no regrets and excited to embark on the new chapter in my life.

What will you miss most about Lehigh women's soccer?
RV: I can't begin to describe how much I will miss my teammates. We have been together through the best of times and the worst of times, connecting us in indescribable ways. I have had the most fun and amazing experience sharing as a part of this team with them all. It will be really difficult not to see all my closest friends every day anymore, but I'm confident my friendships with them will last way beyond soccer. 
 
What are your postgraduate plans?
RV: Post graduation, I plan to get a job in the architecture/design field. I hope to stabilize my career in the future to leave plenty of time for family, fun and traveling.

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