Lehigh field hockey falls to Delaware 4-0 in first NCAA tournament appearance

Lehigh field hockey fell to Delaware 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA Division I tournament Wednesday.

After a 2-1 overtime victory against Boston University to claim the Patriot League Championship, the Mountain Hawks headed to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for their first appearance in the NCAA tournament in program history.

The Mountain Hawks faced a Delaware team that started the year 1-8, only to rally late in the season to take the Colonial Athletic Association Championship against Drexel. 

“This is something we have worked for the past four years,” senior Sarah Bonthuis said. “Just to be here with an NCAA sticker on our uniforms and playing a game in front of so many people, having so many people support us and gaining support over the past couple of years has just been incredible.”

The teams spent more time on Lehigh’s side of the field to begin the first quarter, as the Mountain Hawks found it difficult to advance the ball past Delaware’s pressuring attackers.

Still, the Blue Hens would not find many quality chances despite the time they spent in their opponent’s half.

In the second quarter, Delaware would finally break through Lehigh’s defense. A penalty corner awarded to the Blue Hens saw junior Julia Duffhuis put a shot past Lehigh goaltender Maddie Kahn to put Delaware on the board.

Delaware would get two more opportunities off of penalty corners, but none would get past Kahn for the remainder of the game.

In preparing to defend a penalty corner, Kahn said she puts trust in her other defenders. 

“It is just having confidence in the other four people in the cage with me and knowing that they are going to do the best they can to give me a savable shot,” Kahn said.

The Blue Hens would extend their lead just moments later, as a shot toward goal by junior Kiki Oudshoorn would be slowed by a deflection in front of the net, but was collected and shot past Kahn by sophomore Sian Emslie.

The Mountain Hawks had opportunities in the second quarter, as quick passing would set up chances deep downfield, although Lehigh was not able to convert. 

“We are most successful when we play our passing game, we’re not a team where we rely on one person to carry the ball down the field,” senior Sydney White said. “We are a team (that plays) two touch hockey: you catch, you find your first pass and you pass it.”

With just under three minutes left in the half, the Mountain Hawks were awarded a penalty corner. Junior Abby Brown attempted a shot, but Delaware’s goalkeeper Lizzie Gaebel made the save. Gaebel, a graduate student, finished with five saves on the day. 

Delaware led 2-0 at the half. 

Just minutes into the third, Delaware freshman Lia Becker found the ball on her stick and fired a strike past Kahn from far out, making the score 3-0.

Before the end of the period, Delaware tacked on one more to their lead as a run by Oudshoorn ended with her setting up sophomore Genevieve Johnson with a centering pass, catching Kahn out of position. Johnson fired a shot into a virtually empty net before the expiration of the quarter.

The Mountain Hawks were unable to record a single shot on goal during the third quarter. 

“I think in the third, the energy was low and that caused us to become less connected on the field,” White said. “After the third quarter we regrouped and got back together.”

The final quarter came and went without any scoring, even as Lehigh ramped up the pressure with three shots on goal, but Gaebel held on to preserve the shutout. 

Despite the loss, Bonthuis said the team was excited to compete in the tournament and the experience was special to this particular group. 

“When we came in as freshman, our team was nowhere near what it is today,” Bonthuis said. “It truly feels like a family and seeing how we were part of that change and were able to build our program from not even being able to make it into the Patriot League tournament, and making it last year, and finally winning this year … it is incredible.”