Achieving their first 10-win season since 2019, Lehigh women’s lacrosse is preparing to enter the conference playoffs in a home Patriot League quarterfinal game.
The last time Lehigh hosted a quarterfinal game was 2021 when they advanced to the Patriot League championship game.
Senior attacker Katia Carnevale, who has scored more than 40 goals this season, said she is excited for the team to compete against the best teams in their conference.
“I do believe we have a chance at winning the Patriot League,” Carnevale said. “There are very talented teams in this league, and we are one of them.”
The Mountain Hawks encountered a tough stretch during the season when they lost three straight games to Loyola, Navy and Army.
Sophomore defender Julia DiConza said losing to Navy, a “beatable team,” was a low point in the season but admits the team did not play its best.
“We bounced back in practice the following week and put up a great fight against Army,” DiConza said.
When Lehigh competed against Army on March 29, they initially held the lead before succumbing to a late comeback. With Army hosting a home quarterfinal game, Lehigh could face them if they advance in the tournament.
Carnevale said the team had a difficult time scoring during a stretch against Army but were able to rebound.
She is one of the six seniors who were honored at Lehigh’s senior day on April 15 against Boston University.
While senior attacker Gabby Schneider announced she is staying at Lehigh for a fifth year, the other seniors might be playing their last home games this weekend.
Junior attacker Olivia Memeger said she has had a strong bond with the seniors since she first arrived.
Memeger said she believes they give important feedback to the rest of the players and lead by example, which is especially important in an upcoming playoff run.
“The seniors have been a huge influence since I’ve gotten on campus my freshman year,” Memeger said. “Getting to know them and getting to play with them these past few years has taught me a lot.”
The format of the playoffs is an eight-team bracket. During each round, the higher-seeded team hosts a lower-seeded team.
Lehigh hosting this quarterfinal game does not guarantee they will play at home in further tournament games.
“We play because we love it and want to compete for a Patriot League title,” Memeger said. “We’re looking to make a run in the postseason and compete in every single game.”
Lehigh women’s lacrosse will play in the Patriot League quarterfinals at Frank Banko Field on April 30 at noon.
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