April 9, 2003

VILLANOVA, Pa. - A goal by Emily Studdiford with 4:01 left in regulation broke a 9-9 deadlock and helped lift Lehigh to a 13-11 Patriot League victory over Villanova on a cold afternoon at Villanova Stadium. The goal was the first of four in the final four minutes for the Mountain Hawks (8-2 overall, 1-2 Patriot League).

Villanova (4-7 overall, 1-4 Patriot League) got off to a fast start with three goals in the game's first four minutes. Senior Meghan Carolan (Hicksville, N.Y.) scored twice and Katie Mannix once before Lehigh coach Judy Baxter called for timeout. Following the timeout, however, the tempo changed as the Mountain Hawks got two goals from Meredith Carso in the next three minutes to cut the deficit to 3-2 before Bess Hanley answered for the 'Cats at the 22:29 mark.

Kellan Van Hoesen and Sarah Starsoneck scored the next two goals to knot matters at four with 18:44 left. Villanova responded with three straight goals from Cindy Koza (Garnet Valley, Pa.); Elizabeth Firth (Chevy Chase, Md.) and Katie Komlo (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) to build another three goal advantage. But three Mountain Hawk goals before intermission created a 7-7 tie at halftime.

The game remained tight throughout the second half. A goal by Emily Studdiford with 23:07 left in the second half tied the game at nine and that's where the issue stayed for the next 18 minutes. Then Emily Studdiford scored with 4:01 left to give Lehigh the edge. Less than a minute later Carso scored for the Mountain Hawks. Firth answered for Villanova to cut the lead to 11-10 but two goals in 12 seconds with just over a minute left on the clock in regulation gave the Mountain Hawks a 13-10 cushion. Mannix closed out the scoring with a goal with 12 seconds left to make the final 13-11.

Freshman Jess McGrattan (Rochester, N.Y.) made eight saves in net for Villanova while Kyle Begina stopped six shots for Lehigh.