BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women’s soccer team looks to continue its early-season success when it plays two games in a three-day span this weekend. The Mountain Hawks begin by hosting Monmouth on Friday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Marist for a 1 p.m. showdown on Sunday. Lehigh is vying to extend its home winning streak to 11 games, while also staying undefeated in 2011.

 

The Mountain Hawks are 1-0-1 in the early going, tying Seton Hall while defeating Binghamton. Extending back to last season, Lehigh is 4-1-1 in its last six games, with the only loss coming in the NCAA Tournament at Virginia. The Mountain Hawks have only given up four goals in that span, three coming against the Cavaliers. Lehigh has shut out its opponent in four of those contests.

 

The other impressive streak is Lehigh’s run at home. The Mountain Hawks extended their home winning streak to 10 last Friday with their win over Binghamton. The streak extends back through all seven games of last season and the final two of 2009.

 

Along with the team success, Lehigh received its first individual honor of 2011 when senior co-captain Leah Kulp was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Kulp enjoyed a stellar all-around week, which included a key defensive play at Seton Hall and the game’s only goal vs. Binghamton. She helped spearhead a defense which didn’t allow a goal for more than 180 minutes to conclude the week. Freshman Ashley Blanks was also among the honorable mention honorees after stopping nine of 10 shots sent her way, while riding an impressive shutout streak into this Friday’s game against Monmouth.

 

Predicted second in the preseason NEC poll, Monmouth enters with a 1-3 record, falling to Miami, Seton Hall and Lafayette before beating NJIT, 6-0, for its first win. Nicole Close leads the team with six points (two goals, two assists), followed by Dana Costello with four (one goal, two assists) and Courtney Snyder with three (one goal, one assist). Two others have each scored a goal. Three goalkeepers have seen action with two starting two games apiece. Ashley Lewis leads the way with a 1-1-0 record, 0.67 GAA and .667 save percentage. Ally Mancino owns a 2.00 GAA and .692 save percentage.

 

Friday marks the 11th all-time meeting between Lehigh and Monmouth with the Hawks owning a 6-3-1 edge. The sides first met in 1992, a 5-3 Monmouth win. Lehigh dropped its first four against the Hawks, but has rebounded to go 3-2-1 over the past six meetings. The teams played from 2004-09, but didn’t square off last season. Each of the last three games went to overtime.

 

On Sunday, Lehigh will be heading to Marist. The Red Foxes currently stand 1-2-0 overall with a Friday tilt at Providence on the docket. Marist bounced back from two straight losses to down Central Connecticut State to earn its first win on Sunday. Rycke Guiney and Amanda Epstein have scored the Red Foxes’ two goals on the season while three others have recorded an assist. Like Monmouth, three goalkeepers have also seen action, led by Courey Schaetzle, who has started twice with a .600 save percentage and 1.33 GAA. Ironically, Marist’s one win came with Andrea Wicks in goal, who posted the victory, but without making a save.

 

Lehigh will then travel to Quinnipiac and NJIT next weekend to face the Bobcats and Highlanders, respectively. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. Sunday.