CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — All ten women’s soccer squads have played at least two games as the second week of the 2016-17 season ended on Sunday.
Five teams remain unbeaten: Lafayette (3-0-1), Loyola (3-0-1), Bucknell (3-0), Colgate (1-0-2), and Lehigh (1-0-1).
After posting a 1-0 shutout over Binghamton, Lafayette defeated LIU Brooklyn 3-1 for its best start in program history after the first four games at 3-0-1. Senior forward Melissa Lynskey posted the program’s third hat trick since 2002 and her second in two seasons at forward. The Leopard offense has found the back of the net nine times so far this season, with five goals coming from Lynskey.
Loyola continues its strong start to the season and is unbeaten through four games, marking its best start in program history. Freshman goalkeeper Lily Andres opened her collegiate career with a six-save shut out against Saint Francis and then followed up with another strong performance in net with five saves against 2015 NCAA tournament participant St. John’s. Senior defender Nicole Wahlig became the first player to score against the unbeaten Red Storm this season, as the two teams ended in 200 minutes in a 1-1 draw.
Colgate picked up its first victory of the season with a 2-1 win at LSU. Junior midfielder Eliza Doll put the Raiders on the board first in the 39th minute off a free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box inside the right post. Freshman forward Abby Sotomayor responded to the Tigers game-tying goal seven minutes later off a pass from Ginny Whitman in the 74th minute of action. Freshman netminder Kelly Chiavaro made seven saves on the day, three coming in the final 16 minutes, to help Colgate pick up the program’s first-ever win over an SEC team.
Weekend Results: Click here for the complete women’s soccer schedule.
Monday, August 22
UMass 2, Holy Cross 0
Lehigh 0, Monmouth 0 (2OT)
Seton Hall 1, Army West Point 0
Thursday, August 25
Lafayette 1, Binghamton 0
Maine 3, Holy Cross 0
Loyola 1, Saint Francis 0
George Mason 2, American 1
Hofstra 2, Boston University 0
Friday, August 26
Syracuse 1, Army West Point 0
UNC-Wilmington 2, Navy 2 (2OT)
Lehigh 4, LIU Brooklyn 0
Sunday, August 28
Colgate 2, LSU 1
Lafayette 3, LIU Brooklyn 1
Mount St. Mary’s 2, American 1 (OT)
NC State 4, Navy 1
Bucknell 2, Wright St. 0
Loyola 1, St. John’s 1 (2OT)
Boston College 3, Boston University 0
The women’s soccer weekly awards for Aug. 22-28 went to Melissa Lynskey (Lafayette), Katie Brannigan (Lafayette), Nicole Wahlig (Loyola), Kelly Chiavaro (Colgate), and Sam Miller (Lehigh).
Corvias Patriot League Women’s Soccer Weekly Awards
CORVIAS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MELISSA LYNSKEY, LAFAYETTE Sr., F, Cranberry Township, Pa.
Lynskey produced her second hat trick in two seasons playing at forward -- the third in program history since 2002 – during the Leopards’ 3-1 win over LIU Brooklyn on Sunday. The senior’s trio of goals helped Lafayette to its best start in program history after four games at 3-0-1.
CORVIAS MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
KATIE BRANNIGAN, LAFAYETTE So., M, Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Brannigan earns her second-straight weekly honor after tallying a pair of assists over the weekend against Binghamton and LIU Brooklyn. The sophomore first used a creative volley lob to set up the game-winning goal against the Bearcats and later linked up with teammate Kaelin King to set up Lynskey’s first goal against the Blackbirds.
CORVIAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NICOLE WAHLIG, LOYOLA Sr., D, East Meadow, N.Y.
Wahlig posed quite a threat defensively in the 1-0 win over Saint Francis and the 1-1 draw with St. John’s (a 2015 NCAA tournament participant), winning 50/50 balls in addition to helping hold the Red Storm to just 13 shots throughout 110 minutes (after they averaged 21 per game). The senior also became the first player this season to score against unbeaten St. John’s when she headed in a corner kick in the eighth minute. Through four games, the Greyhounds are off to their best start in program history.
CORVIAS GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
KELLY CHIAVARO, COLGATE Fr., GK, Blainville, Quebec
Chiavaro earns her second-consecutive weekly honor after helping the Raiders pick up the program’s first-ever win over an SEC team with a 2-1 win over LSU. The freshman made seven saves, three of which came in the final 16 minutes of action to help preserve the Colgate victory and unbeaten mark this season.
CORVIAS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
SAM MILLER, LEHIGH Fr., GK, Commack, N.Y.
Miller made her collegiate debut last week and posted a pair of shutouts against Monmouth and LIU Brooklyn. The freshman made eight stops against the Hawks – the MAAC preseason favorite – with the final one coming in the second overtime. She then posted four saves against the Blackbirds to help Lehigh begin the season with two-straight shutouts for the second time since 2006.
HONORABLE MENTION
ABBY SOTOMAYOR, COLGATE Fr., F, Colchester, Conn.
Sotomayor scored the game-winning goal in the 74th minute against LSU to lift the Raiders to the program’s first-ever win over an SEC team.
LILY ANDRES, LOYOLA Fr., GK, Bloomfield, N.J.
Andres posted her first collegiate-career shutout, making six saves against Saint Francis, and then followed up with five saves, allowing just one goal, against 2015 NCAA tournament participant St. John’s.