Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/29/13
From Press Release
An exceptional defensive shutdown in the second half of play led host Lafayette to a 6-5 Patriot League victory tonight over archrival Lehigh in women’s lacrosse.
The Leopards scored the only goal of the second half at the 15:50 mark, holding Lehigh scoreless for the final 34:09 of the game.
Lafayette improved to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in the Patriot League with its first win over Lehigh since April 22, 2006, a 14-13 win in Bethlehem.
Junior Ana White (Strath Haven) and senior Jessica Rothstein (Harriton) led the Leopards attack netting two goals apiece. Seniors Cammie Linville and Addie Godfrey each tallied a goal in the win. Junior goalkeeper Meghan Curtin (Penn Charter) earned her fourth win of the season making, four saves in 35:29 of action.
Meghan Paytas paced the Mountain Hawks offense scoring two goals. Julie McBrien and Kendal Garden each netted a goal and an assist, while Chelsea Retaleato also scored for Lehigh. In goal, Alex Fitzpatrick made 13 saves in the loss.
Lafayette jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Godfrey’s 40th goal of the season. Linville pushed the lead to 2-0 with 20:24 left in the first half. Lehigh battled back, scoring the next two to tie the game with 16:18 remaining in the half.
Rothstein answered for the Leopards on a feed from junior Laura Kleiber with 14:34 to play in the first half. On the ensuing draw control, Kleiber controlled the ball and found freshman Carlianne McCabe (Notre Dame Academy) cutting down the middle in front of goal. McCabe had the ball knocked loose, but it hopped right into the stick of White, who fired it past Fitzpatrick, giving the Leopards a two-goal cushion with 14:12 left in the half.
Lehigh netted the next three goals to take its first lead of the game, 5-4, with 4:09 remaining in the first half. White finished a free position attempt with 49 seconds showing on the clock to send the game into intermission knotted at five.
The game-winner came with 15:50 to play in the game on a free-position goal by Rothstein. The Leopards were able to hold the ball in the Lehigh zone for the final 6:16 to finish off the Mountain Hawks and earn their first Patriot League win of the season.
The Leopards are back in action on Saturday, April 6 when they visit Lewisburg, Pa. to take on Bucknell at 1 p.m.
