SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Ithaca College field hockey team took its three-game winning streak back to the road on Saturday afternoon when it headed to the Capital District for its Liberty League opener at Union College. The Bombers seemed poised to get their Liberty League off to early success through 35 minutes; however, a big second-half rally by the Dutchwomen snapped IC's winning streak in a 3-1 defeat at Frank Bailey Field.
 
It was a tale of two halves for Ithaca on Saturday, as the visitors dominated the opening half of play, but were unable to maintain the pressure on a hot and muggy late-September afternoon. IC took a 1-0 lead into halftime, holding a dominant 11-to-1 advantage in shot attempts through 35-minutes. However, Union flipped the script in the second stanza, holding Ithaca to a single shot attempt, while launching 14 of its own. Unfortunately, it was the Dutchwomen that were better able to take advantage of the scoring chances, scoring three times after the break to pull away for the 3-1 win.
 
Ithaca could not ask for a better start to the contest, translating its possession time into an early lead just over seven minutes into the game. With IC working in the attacking 25-yard box, junior striker Meg Dowd used her strength to create space in the middle of the attacking zone. Although her initial shot attempt was blocked by a Union defender, Dowd stayed with the rebound and deposited a quick shot past Union keeper Heather Poisson to give Ithaca a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Bombers continued to pepper the Union net during the majority of the half, but Poisson kept the Dutchwomen in the game with timely saves. She denied senior midfielder Amanda Schell twice over a 30-second span roughly six minutes after Dowd's opening goal.
 
IC nearly took a larger lead into halftime, as the visitors had a pair of great scoring opportunities with under four minutes left in the half. Freshman striker Maya Rodgers got an open look at cage off of a penalty corner opportunity, but her shot was kept out on an adept defensive save by Union back Jenna Smith. Moments later, McGloin had her shot off the ensuing scrum denied by Poisson, who got back into position to make the stop. Another penalty corner 60-seconds later again resulted in a McGloin opportunity at cage, but Poisson was up to the task, parrying the ball away to keep the deficit to just 1-0 through 35-minutes.
 
It did not take long for Union to establish its first offensive foothold in the game following the resumption of play. The Dutchwomen earned a penalty corner just over one minute into the second stanza and proceeded to cash in on the opportunity. Although IC keeper Savanna Lenker denied the initial shot by Charlotte Leyland, the Bombers were unable to clear the ball. Union's Katherine Talacci got a stick to the ball in traffic, sending a pass to Alexa Puleio at the left post for the easy tap-in to make the score 1-1.
 
The Dutchwomen pulled ahead for good with just under 20-minutes to go. Again working on a penalty corner, it was Talacci that found herself on the receiving end of a pass, as Laura Wind found Talacci open in the right side of the cage for a shot that eluded Lenker.
 
Although head coach Kaitlyn Wahila called a timeout to help settle down the Bombers, Union widened the lead 3:16 after Talacci's go-ahead score. The Dutchwomen again created the score off of a penalty corner, which resulted in the home side earning a penalty-stroke opportunity. It was Marissa Tarashuk that took the attempt for Union, ripping a shot past Lenker to make it 3-1.
 
IC got a penalty corner and shot attempt by senior striker Michaela Donohue that was saved down the stretch, Union limited the Ithaca offense from further threats to hold on for the win.
 
Ithaca returns to action on Wednesday, September 27, when it returns to Higgins Stadium for a 5:00 p.m. non-conference battle against Elmira.