BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Sophomore Molly McAndrew took a threaded pass from junior Grace Angelella, side-stepped a defender and found the back of the cage in the 18^th minute for the lone goal on Friday evening in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as the Lafayette field hockey team clinched a berth in the Patriot League Tournament with a 1-0 win over Lehigh in The Rivalry.
 
McAndrew's goal was the only tally of a game dominated by the Maroon and White with the defensive effort a standout performance. The Leopards' backline allowed just two shots on the night with one on goal, while the offense created 18 shots for themselves with 15 on target.
 
"Molly's goal was definitely a good sequence of attack. I think that was one of our brighter moments, stemming from building the ball and using all lines to create attack. At times, although we were generating offense, we weren't turning that attack into quality looks and shots on goal, so Molly's goal definitely was an important one, a game-winner," head coach Jennifer Stone said. "There's plenty we can take away from this game in terms of managing moments, which is important for us moving forward, but anytime you beat Lehigh, it feels good, especially on the road. I'm really proud of the group and fortunate to be where we're at with hopefully lots more to come."
 
The win marks the sixth shutout of the season for the Leopards, the most since 2012. Lafayette improves to 9-5 overall and 4-0 in Patriot League play, currently atop the conference standings, and clinches one of the four spots in the Patriot League Tournament with back-to-back appearances for the first time since 2012 and 2013. Additionally, the 1-0 win marks the fifth straight one-goal game in The Rivalry, the longest streak of one-goal contests in an all-time series that dates back to 1973.
 
"The message has been consistent through the whole season with the most important game being the next one," Stone added. "The team has been on task with that, but staying in the moment is incredibly important. Celebrating wins and enjoying that part of sport is important as well, but at the same time, we're trying to make sure we stay focused and not look too far ahead."
 
Senior Sarah Park made the plays necessary between the pipes to pick up her ninth win of the 2019 campaign, making one save in the clean sheet. Lafayette earned four penalty corners to Lehigh's three and forced the Mountain Hawks' Maddie Kahn into 14 saves on the night.
 
The Leopards return to Rappolt Field and move back out of conference in their next contest on Sunday, hosting William & Mary for Senior Day at 12 p.m. Prior to the contest, Lafayette's six-member senior class consisting of Sam Di Maio, Cameron Costello, Jenn DeLongis, Lisa van der Geest, Caroline Turnbull and Sarah Park will be honored for their four-year contributions to the program.