ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College field hockey team kicked off a two-game Empire 8 homestand this week on when it welcomed Houghton to Higgins Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Deadlocked entering the second half, the Bombers pulled away with three goals to push their conference record to 2-1.
 
Once again, it was Ithaca's depth that won the day, as the Bombers clearly looked the fresher of the two sides after halftime. It was the senior tandem of Lauren Delia and Cassie Schuttrumpf who led the way for IC. Delia continued to wield a hot stick at home, netting a multi-goal game for the second time in as many contests at Higgins Stadium, while Schuttrumpf added her first of the season.
 
Delia broke the scoreless deadlock in the 42^nd minute, capitalizing on a penalty corner opportunity. Delia started the scoring play by inserting the ball into play from the end line. Junior, Amanda Schell, let a hard shot fly from the top of the scoring arc, which senior, Colleen Keegan-Twombly deflected on its way towards the cage. Fortuitously, the ball drifted right to the stick of Delia, and unlike two minutes prior when she was robbed by Houghton's goalkeeper, Elizabeth Piszker, the IC senior made good on this opportunity to put the home side up 1-0.
 
Riding the momentum from the ice-breaking goal, Ithaca doubled the lead just under eight minutes later. Although Schuttrumpf has been a handful for opposing defenders in the offensive zone this season, she entered the afternoon still looking for her first tally in the goal column. She took matters into her own hands in the 50^th minute of play. Off of a penalty corner insert by Ithaca's Taylor Streko, Schuttrumpf made an excellent stick handle to open up space on the left side of the arc. She fired a hard low shot that was saved with the blocker of Piszker, but the rebound popped right back to the stick of Schuttrumpf who went with a high shot into the cage netting for a 2-0 lead.
 
Delia capped off the second-half scoring barrage in the 63^rd minute of action, completing the Ithaca trifecta with her second of the afternoon. Pinching up from her usual right-back possession, Maddie Keppel let fire a hard pass across the arc, which took a deflection off a Houghton defender, before finding Delia alone on the left post. She tapped home the loose ball to up the advantage to 3-0.
 
The total was more than enough for Ithaca goalkeeper, Katie Lass, who turned in one of her stronger efforts of the season to notch her second shutout on the year. The senior keeper turned away six shots over the final five minutes of play to preserve the clean sheet. Most impressive was her work in the waning moments, as she and the Ithaca defense foiled three successive penalty corners after the clock had ticked down to zero. Lass finished with 13 saves in the contest.
 
The Bombers jumped out with a couple looks early in the contest, earning two successive penalty corners just over five minutes into the game. The Highlanders defense stood firm, allowing just one shot by Cassie Schuttrumpf, which was blocked.
 
The Highlanders pushed back with some offensive pressure of their midway through the half, but the Ithaca defense and goalkeeper, Katie Lass, acquitted themselves well. IC's senior keeper finished the half with four saves, while Highlanders keeper, Elizabeth Piszker, marked three saves in the opening 35 minutes.
 
The Bombers best chance of the half came in the waning moments, as senior, Colleen Keegan-Twombly shook her defender and ripped a backhand shot from five yards out. Piszker parried the shot away with her blocker to maintain the scoreless deadlock as the team's entered the halftime break. The strong finish to the opening half set the stage for the Bombers to take control of the game in the second session.
 
Ithaca returns to action on Saturday, September 24, when it concludes its two-game homestand against Nazareth. Start time at Higgins Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m.