Eric Lambinus enters his 12th season as Lehigh’s head women’s soccer coach in 2020. Over the last five years, Lambinus has led the Mountain Hawks to a 34-32-14 record and 17-18-7 Patriot League mark, making the Patriot League Tournament in three seasons. The program's three straight league tournament appearances (2016-18) tied a program record (also 2004-06).
Lambinus led the Mountain Hawks to the 2018 Patriot League Championship Game, the second appearance in the title game in his tenure. Needing a win to keep its season alive, Lehigh picked up a thrilling 2-1 victory at Holy Cross in the regular season finale. The Mountain Hawks went on to post 2-1 victories at Bucknell and vs. Colgate in the Patriot League Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Kayla Arestivo scored the game-winning goal in the final seconds of double overtime at Bucknell, while Sabrina Mertz netted the game-winner in the final minute against Colgate. Earlier in the week, Arestivo was named a first team All-Patriot League honoree while Mertz garnered second-team laurels. Arestivo went on to be earn All-Region recognition. In the championship game at Boston University, the Mountain Hawks gave themselves a chance deep into the contest, with BU scoring the game’s only goal in the 73rd minute.
Despite just missing the tournament for the first time in four years, the 2019 season actually saw the Mountain Hawks post a better Patriot League mark than the year prior. Lehigh finished 3-5-1, which included the program’s first-ever win over Boston University and a home victory over Holy Cross. The Senior Day win over the Crusaders handed the Crusaders what proved to be their only league defeat of the regular season. Lehigh also beat Bucknell, 3-1, scoring three goals in 12:18 to turn a 1-0 deficit into a comfortable victory. In the end, the Mountain Hawks defeated the two programs, BU and Bucknell, who had combined to win the previous six league tournament titles. As a team, the Mountain Hawks finished second in the Patriot League in goals against average (0.82). Individually, Arestivo was named All-Region for a second straight season while Mary Casey was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
The 2020 season was played in the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The shortened six-game, Patriot League only schedule began with a 1-0 win over American and later saw ties against Bucknell, eventual league finalist Colgate and Loyola. Erin Keefe was named second team All-Patriot League and second team United Soccer Coaches All-Region. Meanwhile, Ryelle Shuey and Rebecca Van Siclen were named to the third team. Goalkeeper Miranda Royds wrapped up a stellar career in goal, posting a 0.60 goals against average for the season (third in program history) to finish her career with a 0.82 GAA (good for second in program history in a career). Royds was named Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week following a scoreless draw at Bucknell. She pitched three shutouts to finish her career with 12 clean sheets.
The first of Lehigh’s three consecutive Patriot League Tournament appearances came in 2016, when the Mountain Hawks won 11 games and finished third in the league standings, their most wins and highest finish since winning the program’s first-ever Patriot League Championship in 2010. The Mountain Hawks followed in 2017 by posting a 9-5-4 record and an even better league record than the year prior (5-2-2), earning the No. 5 seed in the tournament.
The Mountain Hawks broke through in 2016 with an 11-5-2 record to advance to their first Patriot League Tournament since 2012. The Mountain Hawks began the season with eight straight shutouts and a 7-0-1 record. The shutout streak reached 832:31 (dating back to the previous season) before the team was scored upon. Lehigh’s defense was anchored by freshman goalkeeper Sam Miller, whose personal shutout streak of 758:34, is among the top 25 longest shutout streaks in NCAA history. She finished the season with a stellar 0.64 GAA (now third in school history) and 0.859 save percentage to earn second team All-Patriot League honors. Adrian Vitello and Alyssa Riporti garnered first team laurels and All-Region recognition while Tori Pantaleo, who emerged with a team-leading 17 points, was named second team All-League. Lehigh won 13 Patriot League weekly awards on the season while Miller was named the NSCAA National Division I College Player of the Week following shutouts of Binghamton and Villanova. The Mountain Hawks’ highlight win came at Bucknell when they defeated the previously-undefeated (13-0-1) Bison. Lehigh scored three first-half goals against a Bucknell team that had allowed just six all season entering the contest (14 games).
The success continued in 2017 when Lehigh finished 9-5-4, including 5-2-2 in the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks swept a weekend against Big East foes, defeating Villanova (1-0) and St. John’s (2-1) to spark a six-game unbeaten streak spanning most of the month of September. Lehigh finished league play with 12 goals, third most in school history for league games. Miller one-upped her freshman-year GAA (0.58), good for second in school history. Over 2016 and 2017, the Mountain Hawks pitched 21 total shutouts as a team (No. 1 in the Patriot League), recording an identical team GAA of 0.67 each season. Two players who contributed to the defense, Riporti and Vitello, earned All-Region for a second straight year as well and Lehigh’s five total All-League honorees in 2017 were most since its championship campaign of 2010.
The 2010 season was Lambinus’ first at Lehigh, as he helped guide the Mountain Hawks to their first NCAA Tournament where they hung tough against national power Virginia. He came to Lehigh on Feb. 2, 2010 from nearby Moravian College, where he enjoyed tremendous success as head women’s and men’s soccer coach over an 11-year span.
Lambinus coached the Mountain Hawks to an 11-5-4 record in 2010. Lehigh placed five on the All-Patriot League team, its most since 2005. Following a 1-0 loss to Army in their Patriot League opener, the Mountain Hawks responded by going undefeated over their final six league games. The momentum continued into the postseason where they defeated Bucknell for the second time before avenging their earlier loss to Army by beating the top-seed and host Black Knights in the Patriot League Championship Game. The defense came up strong down the stretch, pitching shutouts in the regular season finale and each of the two Patriot League Tournament contests; the Mountain Hawks won each game, 1-0. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the 2010 squad was its team dynamic. The Mountain Hawks won nine different Patriot League weekly awards, coming from eight different players.
The Mountain Hawks also accomplished something they hadn’t since 2005, a spot in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Rankings, which they achieved in mid-October. Lehigh went a perfect 7-0-0 at home, good for its first-ever undefeated (and perfect) home slate.
In 2012, the Mountain Hawks started off 0-4 in Patriot League play, but rattled off three straight wins to earn a spot in the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh defeated Bucknell, Colgate and Holy Cross, handing the eventual league champion Raiders their first Patriot League loss of the season. In 2013, Murphee Greeley wrapped up her sensational Lehigh career, earning her third straight All-Patriot League honoree. The 2014 season saw the Mountain Hawks post a school-record six-game unbeaten streak to begin Patriot League play.
Lambinus’ student-athletes have continually impressed off the field as well. Most recently, the Mountain Hawks posted a 3.76 cumulative GPA in the spring of 2019, their sixth straight semester at 3.5 or higher. Eight student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA.
Flashing back to Lambinus’ first year, Liz Carlos and Natalie Hojnacki were named to the inaugural Academic All-Patriot League team while Carlos and Glynn Fitzer were both CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees. Carlos was named to the first team, making her eligible for Academic All-America status. Prior to the 2011 season, Jana Basubas was one of 30 candidates nation-wide for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which encompasses community, classroom, character and competition. During both the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Paige Elliott garnered Academic All-District recognition and earned a spot on the Academic All-Patriot League team. Stratton earned Academic All-League in 2016 and was named Academic All-District the following year. Along with her stellar play on the field, Miller garnered Academic All-Patriot League in 2017. Alyssa Riporti was named a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award in 2017, Lehigh’s first honoree since Basubas in 2011. Then in 2018, Miller was named Academic All-League for a second straight season. Annika Jansa garnered All-Patriot League laurels as a senior, along with Casey’s Academic All-District recognition.
In addition, Lidia Breen was named a semifinalist for the 15th Annual Wooden Citizenship Award for her work on and off the field. Founded by Athletes for a Better World (ABW), the award is presented to the most outstanding role models among athletes. Breen has made her impact, on and off the field, in a number of ways, which includes serving as captain of Lehigh T.I.D.E. (Tacking Inclusion, Diversity and Equity).
During his tenure leading the Moravian women, Lambinus led the Greyhounds to three NCAA Tournament appearances (2005, 2007, 2008) as well as the 2008 Landmark Conference Championship. His teams played in the Landmark and MAC Conference Championship Game three times and made four appearances in the MAC Commonwealth playoffs. Moravian was the 2003 ECAC Mid-Atlantic runner-up and won 123 games under Lambinus’ tutelage. From an individual standpoint, he developed one NSCAA All-American, one Academic All-American, eight All-Region selections, three conference Players of the Year and four conference Rookies of the Year.
Lambinus led the Moravian men to an appearance in the 2002 MAC Commonwealth Championship Game, four MAC playoff appearances and two appearances in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Semifinals. In addition he produced a pair of Academic All-Americans and three All-Region selections.
While at Moravian, Lambinus also served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Education as well as the Athletic Department’s Academic Advisor.
Lambinus has previous coaching experience at Washington College (Chestertown, Md.) and previous club coaching experience with ENCO, FC Lehigh and Lehigh Valley United. Lambinus also works with U.S. Soccer on the Girl's National Training Centers.
During his playing days at Moravian, Lambinus was a four-time All-Conference selection, a two-time All-Region honoree and a two-time Academic All-American. He also served as captain for two years and earned a pair of Team MVP awards. Following his collegiate experience, Lambinus spent four seasons with a professional club, the Reading Rage.
Lambinus graduated from Moravian College in 1994 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He later earned his Master’s in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University. Lambinus and his wife Cindy have two children, MacKenzie and Owen.