WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The fourth-ranked Ithaca College men's lacrosse team got its much-anticipated 2017 season underway on Wednesday afternoon when it traveled to the Keystone State for a mid-week matinee against Lycoming College. The Bombers raced out to a big early advantage and never looked back in a 19-2 romp over the Warriors to move to 1-0 on the season.
 
It was a memorable victory for IC head coach Jeff Long who registered his 300th career win in the opener to his 30th season at the helm of the Bombers.

Tabbed to be one of the most dynamic attacking teams in the country heading into the year, IC wasted little time in showing what it is capable of in the offensive third. The Bombers netted five goals in the opening 4:01 of the contest and ended the first quarter with a 10-0 advantage on the scoreboard.
 
Senior Jack Shumway was hot as wildfire during the beginning stretch of the game. The Preseason All-America honoree netted Ithaca's first goal of 2017 just 31-seconds into the game. Looping out from the goal-line extended, he gained a step on his defensive marker and rifled a laser-shot into the upper right corner of the net to make the score 1-0.
 
Shumway went on to score three more times during the initial five-goal spell. He finished with five goals in the opening quarter and six total in the first half of play, before enjoying a much-deserved rest during the second stanza.
 
Junior Kaelan Fitzpatrick and sophomore Will Witter each added a pair of tallies during the first quarter to further widen the IC lead. The duo combined on the Bombers' third goal of the contest, the middle tally of a three-goal in 40-seconds stretch. Witter delivered an excellent feed to Fitzpatrick who whipped a shot into the lower netting of the goal. They went on to cap the scoring in the first quarter, as a pair of Witter markers sandwiched Fitzpatrick's second of the contest to close out the frame.
 
Sophomore Josh Della Puca set a new career high with six points on the afternoon, which included a huge opening half. After dishing out three assists during the first 15-minutes of play, he found the back of the net himself three times in the second quarter to extend IC's dominance on the scoreboard.
 
Senior Sean Ferrito, sophomore Owen Smith, as well as freshmen Doug Hill and Dan Lee also chipped in first-half goals. Senior Grant Osadchey enjoyed one of the finest days in the faceoff circle in program history, winning 16-of-17 draws, collecting 11 ground-balls and scoring a second-quarter goal to make the score 12-0.
 
Hill and Lee each added goals in the second half to round out the score sheet for IC. Lycoming's Garrett Huff spoiled the shutout for the Bombers with a pair of fourth-quarter goals.
 
Defensively, the Bombers tormented the Warriors with their hard pressing ride. The Warriors converted just 8-of-19 clear attempts, while IC forced Lycoming into 22 total turnovers in the contest.
 
Junior Winston Wenham and freshman Aaron McCartney each marked a caused turnover, while juniors Jake Cotton and Stephen Morrell had excellent two-way games. Cotton finished with three assists and a caused turnover, while Morrell posted one caused turnover and one helper.
 
Senior goaltender Jack Deragon got the first nod in the Ithaca cage and performed well in collecting the victory. Although rarely tested during the opening half, he saved all four Lycoming shots on goal in 30 minutes of action. Freshman Robby Atwood started the second half, finishing with two saves and allowing one goal in 19:10 of action. Senior Justin Isaacs and sophomore Davis Bird split the final 10-plus minutes of action.
 
Ithaca makes its home debut on Saturday, March 4, when it welcomes 12^th-ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for a 1:00 p.m. tilt at Higgins Stadium.