The AU women’s soccer team was defeated twice in the Lehigh Valley this weekend, falling to Lehigh University 1-0 Oct. 7 and losing 2-1 in overtime against Lafayette College Oct. 9.
AU Unable to Find the Net in Loss to Lehigh
Despite outshooting the Mountain Hawks 10-8, the Eagles (4-10-1, 0-3 PL) were unable to tie the game after Lehigh (6-5-1, 2-1 PL) scored in the 59th minute.
Lehigh’s Leah Kulp scored the lone goal of the game on an unassisted shot from the top of the 18-yard box that swept past AU goalkeeper Klare Lazor and into the top right corner of the goal.
AU had six shots on goal compared to Lehigh’s five, but was unable to get the ball past Lehigh goalkeeper Ashley Blanks, who had six saves on the day.
Arianna Efstathiou and Lazor split the game in goal for AU, as the duo recorded a combined four saves.
“It was a tough game tonight,” Head Coach Dave Bucciero told AU Athletics. “I thought we defended better in the second half and they scored on their only chance in the half. We didn’t generate enough tonight and we need to do better if we are going to win on Sunday.”
AU Drops Third Straight Patriot League Game
Lafayette’s Janelle Pierson scored the game-winning goal on a header 99 seconds into overtime to defeat the Eagles 2-1 for AU’s third straight one-goal loss.
The Leopards’ (8-3-1, 3-0 PL) Alex Reisinger set up the goal on a cross from the right wing into the center of the penalty area that Pierson was able to convert.
“Clearly, the ball is not bouncing our way right now,” Bucciero told AU Athletics.
After both teams were unable to score in the first half, the Eagles jumped out first in the second half when Carleigh Morba scored on a rebound in the 55th minute.
The rebound came when AU’s Michaela Cowgill took a long-range shot that was deflected off the crossbar by Lafayette goalkeeper Lauren Smedley’s right hand.
The Leopards fired back ten minutes later when Julia Bell found Alyssa Finelli, who slid the ball past Lazor to knot the game at one apiece.
With five minutes remaining, AU failed to execute when Jasmine Mohandesi found herself one-on-one with Smedley, but could not capitalize. Seven minutes later, Pierson nailed the game-winner for the Lafayette victory.
Smedley registered eight saves, while Lazor tallied two.
The Eagles outshot Lafayette 13-7, with nine of those shots on goal.
Morba led the Eagles with four shots, while Michelle Montilio and Mohandesi each totaled two. Both teams received three corner kicks, but were unable to capitalize on those opportunities.
The Eagles will look to pick up their first conference win with three Patriot League home games coming up, the first being Oct. 16 against Bucknell University.
sports@theeagleonline.com
