Women's Soccer Falls To Lehigh, 3-2
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The
Quinnipiac University women's soccer team was defeated by Lehigh
University, 3-2, in a close showdown at the Ullrich Sports Complex.
The Bobcats drop to 0-2, while the Mountain Hawks improve to 1-0-1
overall.
"Overall we played better than Friday's game," said Head Coach
Dave Clarke. "The third (Lehigh) goal changed the tone of the game,
but we reacted well. Aine scored a great goal, as did Furtuna, but
it was just a little too late."
Junior forward Furtuna Velaj (Stamford, Conn.) had a hand in both
of Quinnipiac's two goals, assisting on the first goal and scoring
the second. Freshman midfielder Aine McKeever (Derry City, Ireland)
scored the Bobcats' first goal in the game.
Down 2-0 at halftime, Quinnipiac staged a comeback in the second
half. The Bobcats scored their first goal in the 78th
minute of the game by McKeever, who took a one-timer off of a pass
from Velaj. The goal was McKeever's first of her career.
NEC-standout Velaj proved to be an offensive asset for the
Bobcats, leading the team with a total of seven shots. In the last
minute of the game, Velaj scored her first goal of the season, and
Quinnipiac's second of the game, after beating the keeper to the
right.
Making her second start in goal for the Bobcats this season,
Jillian Kelley (Simsbury, Conn.) led the defense, making six saves
in the game. Lehigh senior Lauren Mains, who made a total of two
saves, kept Lehigh alive in the second half.
Each of Lehigh's three goals were scored by senior Liz Carlos, who
earned a hat-trick in the game. Six minutes into the first half,
Lehigh midfielder Lena Cannon passed to Carlos, who was able to
beat Kelley from fourteen yards out and score the first goal of the
game and her first of the season. Carlos would go on to score the
second goal off of an assist by Lehigh's Murphee Greeley. Lehigh's
final goal was scored by Carlos off of a penalty kick in the second
half, 56 minutes into play.
Quinnipiac looks to next Friday, Sept. 10, when it hosts Siena in
the Bobcats' home opener at the Quinnipiac Soccer Field in Hamden,
Conn. at 4 p.m.