PHILADELPHIA – After a back-and-forth first half, Saint Joseph's scored goals in the 53rd and 81st minutes to spoil Lehigh women's soccer's season opener, 2-0, on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia. Both goals came off corner kicks and both saw junior Annika Jansa nearly make a tremendous defensive play heading the ball off the line. On the first goal, the official ruled the ball had crossed the line while on the second, Saint Joseph's put home the rebound.
 
"We knew they were going to be dangerous off set pieces," said Lehigh head coach Eric Lambinus. "They're just really aggressive, they're good in the air and put a good ball in there. We didn't defend them as well as we needed. We were a little bit too flat and a little bit too behind."
 
Each side fired a shot in the early going before Lehigh sophomore goalkeeper Miranda Royds made her first-career save in the 15th minute, coming in her first collegiate action. After a Maggie Wadsworth shot the following minute, Saint Joseph's responded with the next four between the 16th and 32nd minute, but none were on goal.
 
Lehigh's first shot on goal came at the 35:18 mark off the foot of freshman Erin Keefe, but goalkeeper Grace Bendon was there to make the save. The Mountain Hawks surged towards the end of the first half, creating four corner kicks over the final 6:40, but couldn't convert.
 
Junior goalkeeper Sam Miller entered in the second half and made a sensational point-blank save at the 51:07 mark to keep the game scoreless. However, Saint Joe's broke through just over a minute later to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Between the 69th and 80th minute, Lehigh posted four consecutive shots, two on goal, but the Mountain Hawks struggled to find quality scoring chances.

 
"We connected a good amount of passes, we had the ball and we got the ball in dangerous positions, but there has to be more aggressiveness," said Lambinus. "We were pretty patient in the attack. When we get the ball in those spots, we have to be looking to score more instead of passing. We did a really good job in the midfield and back line, especially in the first half. In the second half, we were too flat and gave them too much time and space."
 
The Hawks added an insurance goal in the 81st minute on a scramble off a corner, accounting for the 2-0 final.
 
Final stats were 17-9 in favor of Saint Joseph's while Saint Joe's ended with an 8-7 edge in corner kicks. Royds stopped the only shot sent her way in the first half while Miller made three stops in the second.
 
The Mountain Hawks return to action this Thursday when they host Fairleigh Dickinson at 12 p.m.
 
"Giving up two goals is not something we want to do," said Lambinus. "But there are a lot of things we can build upon and our goal is to be better for FDU. We'll have a couple good training sessions. We're excited to get back home on our grass field."
 
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