BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After a trio of strong performances last week, Lehigh sophomore Allison LaBeau was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Monday while junior Kendall Garden received Midfield Player of the Week honors. The awards mark Lehigh’s third and fourth weekly awards this season. LaBeau tallied 15 points over three games (all wins) while Garden enjoyed a strong all-around week which included eight groundballs, eight draw controls and two caused turnovers. The Mountain Hawks’ defense allowed just 20 goals over the three games while the offense tallied 42.
The duo joins Carli Sukonik and Lauren Willcox as weekly award winners. Earlier this season, the seniors garnered Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively.
LaBeau finished the week with 12 goals and three assists while adding four groundballs, two draw controls and four caused turnovers. She began at Bucknell on Tuesday with a goal and three assists in a dominant 17-4 win to improve to 2-2 in Patriot League play. LaBeau followed with a career-high six goals at Mount St. Mary’s Thursday in a 16-8 Mountain Hawk victory. Then on Saturday, LaBeau scored five of Lehigh’s nine goals, including the game-winner with just 4.5 seconds remaining to break an 8-8 tie and give the Mountain Hawks a thrilling 9-8 win over the defending NEC Champions. The goal helped snap the Bulldogs’ four-game winning streak.
The award marks LaBeau’s second of her career after winning Rookie of the Week once last season. The Mountain Lakes, N.J. native is up to 36 points for the season. LaBeau has 26 goals and 10 assists while also tallying 13 groundballs, 12 draw controls and 11 caused turnovers.
Garden filled up the stat sheet last week, which included a stellar effort on both sides of the field. Garden began on Tuesday with a hat trick and one assist, two groundballs, two draw controls and a caused turnover in dominant 17-4 Patriot League win at Bucknell. She continued with a goal, two assists, two groundballs and three draw controls in another dominant win (16-8) at Mount St. Mary’s Thursday. Garden ended the week with two goals, four groundballs, three draw controls and a caused turnover at Bryant Saturday. Garden and the defense allowed just one first-half goal and just eight for the game, against a Bryant squad who scored 14, 13 and 16 over its previous three games.
For the season, Garden owns 23 points, 21 groundballs, 19 groundballs, a team-high 35 draw controls and a team-high 22 caused turnovers. This marks Garden’s second-career Midfield Player of the Week award.
LaBeau, Garden and the Mountain Hawks return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Rutgers to face the Scarlet Knights. Opening draw is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.
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