CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — With just one spot remaining, three more teams clinched a berth in the Patriot League Women’s Soccer Championship over the weekend. A host site has yet to be decided, as the final game of the slate will determine if Bucknell or Boston University will host the semifinals and championship games.
Women’s Soccer Standings
Bucknell (13-1-1, 7-1 PL) 21 pts
Boston U. (7-10-1, 7-1) 21 pts
Navy (8-9-2, 4-3-1) 13 pts
Lehigh (10-4-2, 4-3-1) 13 pts
Colgate (7-7-3, 4-4-0) 12 pts
Lafayette (6-6-4, 3-4-1) 10 pts
Holy Cross (3-11-2, 2-4-2) 8 pts
Army West Point (4-10-2, 2-4-2) 8 pts
Loyola Maryland (5-6-4, 1-4-3) 6 pts
American (1-15-2, 0-6-2) 2 pts
Bucknell suffered its first loss of the season as Lehigh stunned the Bison during senior night on Saturday with a 3-0 first half that led to a 3-2 victory. The Mountain Hawks’ win at Bucknell marked the Bison's first loss at home since 2014. Bucknell had entered Saturday’s contest as the top scoring offense in NCAA Division I averaging 3.07 goals per game and with the second-best win-lost-tie percentage at 0.964. The Bison had also allowed just six goals all season. Senior forward Tori Pantaleo opened the scoring in the ninth minute, sparking the Lehigh offense to score two more goals in 24 minutes. Sophomore Sabrina Mertz tallied the second at 21:56, while freshman Sidonie Warnecker recorded the third and eventual game-winner at 32:17.
Colgate captured a pair of victories to earn a spot in the field of six with a 5-0 shutout over Army West Point on Wednesday and a 2-1 win at Loyola Maryland on Saturday.
While Navy fell to Lafayette on Sunday, after senior Melissa Lynskey scored the golden goal 33 seconds into overtime, Saturday’s results put the Midshipmen into the field of six for the fifth-straight season. The Leopards’ victory keeps hopes of securing the final spot in the tournament alive, as they sit in the standings with 10 points.
In Patriot League action, Bucknell’s Maddie Mulford leads the way in points (18) and in goals (7). Mulford and teammate Kendall Ham have a League-best four assists. On the opposite end of the field, Boston University’s Bridget Conway has allowed just two goals in 405 minutes across eight games to lead the League with a 0.444 goals against average. Conway also holds a League best .867 save percentage, while Army West Point’s Jordan Cassalia leads with 43 saves.
In the final week of the women’s soccer season, Army West Point will play Ivy foe Penn on Monday, and Bucknell will face Princeton on Tuesday before finishing the Patriot League slate over the weekend. Lehigh and American open the weekend’s action on Friday in Bethlehem at 7 p.m. while the remaining eight teams play on Saturday.
Last Week’s Results
Wednesday, October 19
Colgate 5, Army West Point 0
Navy 2, American 0
Bucknell 3, Loyola Maryland 0
Boston University 3, Holy Cross 1
Lehigh 1, Lafayette 0
Saturday, October 22
Boston University 3, Army West Point 1
Colgate 2, Loyola Maryland 1
Lehigh 3, Bucknell 2
Sunday, October 23
Holy Cross 1, American 0
Lafayette 1, Navy 0 (OT)
The women’s soccer weekly awards for Oct. 17 – 23 went to Tori Pantaleo (Lehigh), Eliza Doll (Colgate), Emily Pullen (Colgate), Sam Miller (Lehigh), and Kelly Park (Boston University).
Corvias Patriot League Women’s Soccer Weekly Awards
CORVIAS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
TORI PANTALEO, LEHIGH Sr., F, Colts Neck, N.J.
Pantaleo led the Mountain Hawks to a pair of big road victories, helping Lehigh secure a spot in the Patriot League Championship field of six for the first time since 2012. The senior scored the game-winner in the ninth minute of the 1-0 win at archival Lafayette on Wednesday. Against previously unbeaten Bucknell on Saturday she scored again in the ninth minute, which sparked the Lehigh offense to take a 3-0 lead at the end of the first half. Pantaleo also assisted on the second goal of the game at 21:56.
CORVIAS MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
ELIZA DOLL, COLGATE Jr., M, Bethesda, Md.
Doll helped the Raiders to a pair of victories over the week and a spot in the Patriot League Championship field of six. The junior led the midfield whose efforts helped hold Army scoreless in the 5-0 win on Wednesday. She then assisted on the game-tying goal at Loyola Maryland on Saturday, as Colgate rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 2-1 victory.
CORVIAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
EMILY PULLEN, COLGATE Sr., D, Fairfield, Conn.
Pullen led a Colgate defense that allowed just eight shots combined in a pair of League victories over the week. The senior helped the Raiders tally their second shutout of the season with a 5-0 victory over Army on Wednesday. She then anchored the defense against Loyola Maryland, as Colgate rallied from a 1-0 deficit for a 2-1 victory.
CORVIAS GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
SAM MILLER, LEHIGH Fr., GK, Commack, N.Y.
Miller played a crucial rule in net for the Mountain Hawks, as the team clinched a spot in the Patriot League Championship field of six for the first time since 2012 with wins over archrival Lafayette and previously unbeaten Bucknell. Against the Leopards on Wednesday, the freshman made five saves, including four in the second half, for her 11th shutout of the season. She then added another five saves against the Bison on Saturday, allowing just two goals to Bucknell who entered Saturday ranked first in the nation as the top scoring offense in Division I averaging 3.07 goals a game.
CORVIAS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
KELLY PARK, BOSTON UNIVERSITY Fr., F, San Jose, Calif.
After a scoreless first half against Army West Point on Saturday, Park tallied a pair of goals in the Terriers’ 3-1 win. The freshman scored the second and third goals, both coming within a two-minute span early in the second half.
HONORABLE MENTION
CHELSEA CHURCHILL, BOSTON UNIVERSITY So., M, Carlsbad, Calif.
Churchill tallied a pair of goals in the Terriers’ 3-1 win over Holy Cross on Wednesday and was named the Turnpike Trophy MVP for her efforts. In the 3-1 win against Army West Point on Saturday, she assisted on the first goal.
SARAH COY, COLGATE Sr., F, Boca Raton, Fla.
Coy tallied a pair of goals over the week, including the first goal of the 5-0 win over Army West Point on Wednesday. She then added an assist on the game-tying goal at Loyola Maryalnd in the 72nd minute to rally from a 1-0 deficit for a 2-1 win in the final 18 minutes.
ADRIAN VITELLO, LEHIGH Jr., M, Manalapan, N.J.
Vitello, playing as a two-way midfielder, helped the Mountain Hawks to a pair of road victories, including a 1-0 win at Lafayette and 3-2 victory over previously undefeated Bucknell.
ABBY SOTOMAYOR, COLGATE Fr., F, Colchester, Conn.
Sotomayor helped the Raiders to a pair of victories and a spot in the Patriot League Championship field of six. She assisted on the first goal in the 5-0 win over Army West Point and later scored the game-tying goal in the 72nd minute in a 2-1 win at Loyola Maryland.
Past Weekly Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Week
10.17.16 Rachel Feldman, Navy
10.10.16 Kendall Ham, Bucknell
10.03.16 Maddie Mulford, Bucknell
09.26.16 Abby Sotomayor, Colgate
09.19.16 Anabell Motley, Navy
09.12.16 Kendall Ham, Bucknell
09.06.16 Tori Pantaleo, Lehigh
08.29.16 Melissa Lynskey, Lafayette
08.22.16 Julianna Cabrera, Loyola
Midfielder of the Week
10.17.16 Clare Shea, Army West Point
10.10.16 Andj Seslija, Holy Cross
10.03.16 Jesse Chreck, Boston University
09.26.16 Mia Sardella, Loyola Maryland
09.19.16 Clare Shea, Army West Point
09.12.16 Adrian Vitello, Lehigh
09.06.16 Adrian Vitello, Lehigh
08.29.16 Katie Brannigan, Lafayette
08.22.16 Katie Brannigan, Lafayette
Defensive Player of the Week
10.17.16 Julia Wescott, Lafayette
10.10.16 Karli Cirovski, Bucknell
10.03.16 Rachel Blauner, Boston University
09.26.16 Clare Severe, Lehigh
09.19.16 Jackie Ham, Bucknell
09.12.16 Alyssa Riporti, Lehigh
09.06.16 Maddie Dano, Bucknell
08.29.16 Nicole Wahlig, Loyola
08.22.16 Rachel Bloznalis, Boston University
Goalkeeper of the Week
10.17.16 Kelly O’Brien, Lafayette
10.10.16 Brooke Holle, Holy Cross
10.03.16 Jessica Ratner, Bucknell
09.26.16 Jessica Ratner, Bucknell
09.19.16 Jessica Ratner, Bucknell
09.12.16 Sam Miller, Lehigh
09.06.16 Danielle Sedillo, Lafayette
08.29.16 Kelly Chiavaro, Colgate
08.22.16 Kelly Chiavaro, Colgate
Rookie of the Week
10.17.16 Cadie Higginson, Navy
10.10.16 Sam Miller, Lehigh
10.03.16 Kelly Crowley, Holy Cross
09.26.16 Casey McKenzie, Loyola Maryland
09.19.16 Sidonie Warnecker, Lehigh
09.12.16 Nicole Bautista, Army West Point
09.06.16 Sam Miller, Lehigh
08.29.16 Sam Miller, Lehigh
08.22.16 Cadie Higginson, Navy