ITHACA, N.Y.  — Junior Morgan Cadwell scored on a free-position shot late in regulation to force overtime in Sunday's women's lacrosse Empire 8 championship, but the top-seeded Ithaca College Bombers fell to third-seeded St. John Fisher College 9-8 in overtime at Higgins Stadium.

Cadwell, junior Morgan Racicot, and freshman Allison Panara each scored two goals, but it wasn't enough as Ithaca (13-5) lost in the conference championship for the seventh straight season.

Fisher (15-3) won the title when Chrissy Cook scored an unassisted goal with 30 seconds remaining in the six-minute, sudden-death overtime.

The Bombers, ranked 19th in the county in the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association poll, were seeking their first conference title since 2008.
Ithaca lost for just the third time in its last 15 games.

The Bombers outshot Fisher 27-22, but won only nine of 20 draw controls in the championship.

Junior Emily Ross started and made four saves in the first half. Sophomore Kimberly Presuto came on in the second half and made four saves while allowing five goals to even her season-long record at 2-2.

Senior Riley Marion scored one goal, won four draw controls, collected three groundballs, and caused two turnovers in the loss. She finished her IC career ranking ninth in school history in points (173), and 10th in goals (134).

Panara, sophomore Molly Long, and freshman Reid Simoncini each caused two turnovers for Ithaca, which posted its seventh straight season with 10 or more wins.

Neither team led by more than one goal during a back-and-forth championship clash that featured eight ties.

Cori Holbrook staked the Cardinals to a 1-0 lead on a free-position goal 5:36 in, but following a yellow card on Fisher goalie Haley Peets, Racicot scored an unassisted goal to even the championship at 1-all.

Fisher reclaimed the lead on Cook's unassisted tally 10 minutes into the championship, and could have extended its lead, but Ross made a big save on Jordan Johnson's point-blank shot to keep the score 2-1.

Racicot's second goal of the game pulled Ithaca even 2:20 later, but Fisher pulled ahead on Sierra Badger's unassisted goal with 10 minutes left in the opening half.

After Cadwell scored an unassisted goal, Ross then made another big save to deny Mackenzie Levan and keep the game tied at 3.

IC took its first lead of the game when Panara buried a free-position shot with 6:25 remaining in the first.

The two teams went into halftime knotted at 4 after Jamie Wallace's unassisted goal with 61 seconds remaining in the half.

Marion converted an unassisted goal 3:49 into the second half for a 5-4 IC lead, but the Cardinals scored two straight goals to seize a 6-5 lead halfway through the second.

Freshman Julia Silvestri tied the game on a free-position goal one minute later, but Fisher jumped back on top on a free-position goal from Badger with 12:53 remaining.

The lead was short-lived as Panara evened the title game at 7 off a feed from freshman Danika Wagener just 43 seconds later.

Ithaca had a golden opportunity to take the lead when Marion had a free-position shot with 8:57 remaining, but her effort glanced off the post and the score remained tied.

Fisher reclaimed the lead, 8-7 on Holbrook's unassisted goal with 6:10 remaining. Less than 30 seconds later, IC had another good scoring opportunity, but Racicot's point-blank shot was saved by Peets with 5:46 to play.

The Bombers eventually pulled even at 8 Cadwell's free-position goal. Fisher won the ensuing draw control, but Ithaca's defense clamped down and did not allow the Cardinals a good look on goal for the remainder of regulation.

After neither team scored during the first overtime, Fisher won it with 29.8 seconds remaining in the second overtime session.