ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca field hockey team (5-6, 1-3 Empire 8) defeated Nazareth (4-6, 1-3 Empire 8) 4-0 at home Saturday. The Bombers are now 5-1 this year at Yavits Field. The win is also the 400th all-time in the program's history, which played its first varsity season in 1968.

Ithaca opened the scoring in the seventh minute on a goal by freshman Sofia Johnson (Holland Patent/Holland Patent). The goal was her first as a Bomber. Junior Annie Onzik (Bishop O'Reilly/Shavertown, Pa.) was credited with the assist, her second of the season.

The Bombers continued to put the pressure on and added one more before halftime. Freshman Kirsten Auer (Branford/Branford, Conn.) scored off a pass from junior Krista Fieselmann (Bridgewater/Bridgewater, N.J.) in the 31st minute to put Ithaca in front 2-0. The goal was the first goal and point of Auer's career at Ithaca. The assist was also Fieselmann's first of the season.

Auer scored once again in the 52nd minute off an assist from sophomore Laura Murphy (Orchard Park/Orchard Park). The assist was the first assist and point of Murphy's career. Onzik put the Bombers up 4-0 less than a minute later with a rebound goal. Onzik now shares the team lead in goals this season with five.

Ithaca outshot Nazareth 18-13 and had 15 shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper Courtney Dowell (Massapequa/Massapequa) started for the Bombers and earned her first shutout of the year. Dowell had seven saves and improved to 3-1 this season.

The Bombers travel to Rochester on Wednesday for a 4 p.m. contest.

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