POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's soccer team fell to Clarkson University, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon it is inaugural Liberty League game.
 
The Bombers are now 4-3-1 overall, with a 0-1 Liberty League record while Clarkson improves to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in conference action.
 
It was the Bombers who struck first in the 16^th minute on a Nate Mansfield goal from 20 yards out, to go up 1-0. It was Mansfield's third goal of the season.
 
The Golden Knights ended up tying things on a late first-half goal from Erick Naula. He scored in the 44^th minute on a pass from Diego Lezama.
 
Clarkson's inevitable game-winner was scored by Jon Jones on a pass from Mack Walton in the 79^th minute of play.
 
"We learned a valuable lesson from their tying goal at the end of the first half, which we had mostly controlled," said Head Coach Kyle Dezotell. "Rather than close out the half, we relaxed and began waiting for the 45 minutes to run out, which you just can't do in the Liberty League."
 
The Bombers had several chances in the first half prior to Mansfield's goal. It was Mansfield who registered the first shot for Ithaca in the second minute, which went wide.
 
A corner kick in the seventh minute led to a Nate Schoen shot which hit the post.
 
The Bombers tallied two more shots from Luke Karen in the 37^th minute, which was saved by Clarkson's Ian Roeloffs and a Zack Lichtman shot in the 38^th minute which went wide.
 
Ithaca had three more shots in the second half before Clarkson scored the game-winner. Max Barish had two of his shots blocked and a Lichtman shot went high. The Bombers could not generate any more shots following the Golden Knights' second goal.
 
"We hit the crossbar two minutes before their game winner and they hit the bar as well," said Dezotell. "At the end of the day, we are headed back on the bus with 0 points which is not what we were looking for from this weekend. We will get back to work this week to be better next Saturday at home against St. Lawrence."
 
Clarkson recorded 10 shots and six corners while Ithaca had eight shots and five corners.
 
Goalie Dan Hinckley made three saves for the Bombers while Roeloffs recorded one save in the net for Clarkson.
 
The Bombers are back in action next Saturday, September 30 at 2 p.m., which is the first game of three at home.