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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women's soccer team will wrap up the regular season when the Mountain Hawks travel to Washington D.C. Friday for a crucial matchup against American. The match will kick off at 3 p.m. from Reeves Field and can be viewed live, for free, on the Patriot League Network.
 
The Mountain Hawks come into Friday's match with a league mark of 2-4-2 (7-7-3 overall) and are tied for the sixth and final Patriot League Tournament spot with Army West Point. The Patriot League's first four seeds are locked into a postseason spot, but Lehigh can still clinch a playoff berth with a victory over American and a Bucknell win or tie against Army West Point or Colgate loss or tie vs. Lafayette. The Mountain Hawks need at least a tie to keep their hopes alive for a league tournament berth heading into Saturday's out-of-town games. Lehigh still could finish as high as fifth place.
 
The Mountain Hawks were defeated by Bucknell 3-0 in their last match. After a scoreless first half, Bucknell scored three unanswered goals in the second half to seal the match. Senior goalkeeper Ani Nahapetian tallied eight saves in her final match at the Ulrich Sports Complex. She was one of seven seniors who were recognized prior to the game on Senior Night.
 
Nahapetian has started every game in goal this season, tallying 105 saves, an .827 save percentage and a 1.24 goals against average. Offensively, freshman Sabrina Mertz has anchored Lehigh with her team-high 17 points behind seven goals and three assists.
 
American sits in tenth place in the Patriot League standings at 1-4-3 (4-10-3 overall), but can leapfrog over Lehigh with a win. The Eagles are still alive for the final spot in the Patriot League Tournament with a win and help from other teams. American's only Patriot League victory came against Lafayette in overtime. Kelly Donovan has accumulated four of the team's 14 goals this season and leads the team in points with nine. Marley Jennings trails her with eight points behind a pair of goals and a team-high four assists. Charlene Belanger has started 12 games in goal and has picked up two shutouts on the year. Belanger has tallied a 1.33 goals against average to go along with 63 saves.
 
American leads the all-time series with a record of 10-6-1, but the Mountain Hawks defeated the Eagles 1-0 last fall at Ulrich Sports Complex.
 
If Lehigh does clinch a playoff berth, the Patriot League Quarterfinals will be played on Tuesday at the higher seed's venue. The Mountain Hawks would be on the road for the Quarterfinals, as the No. 5 or No. 6 seed.

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Story by Zion Olojede '18