CANTON, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's soccer team fell to St. Lawrence in the Liberty League final on Sunday afternoon, 3-1, on penalty kicks.
 
After 90 minutes of regulation, the Bombers and St. Lawrence were tied, 1-1, to force overtime. After 20 minutes of scoreless overtime, IC and the Saints found themselves headed into a penalty kick round to decide the conference winner and who would get the automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
 
Senior Nate Schoen started out the penalty kicks for IC, but Mike Smith – who was named Tournament MVP – made the save. St. Lawrence's Jethro Dede followed that up with a made attempt, putting the Saints up 1-0 after one round.
 
Junior Kevin Turi made Ithaca's lone penalty kick of the round, netting it past a diving Smith in goal. St. Lawrence's Brendan McNamee then put in another, past Lichtenstein.
 
Smith saved kicks from Jack Monnes and Luke Karen while IC goalkeeper Max Lichtenstein stopped a shot from Miguel Ridruejo before Charlton Kelly put one away to lock up the win for St. Lawrence.
 
"Congratulations to a worthy Liberty League champion in St Lawrence," sad Head Coach Kyle Dezotell. "I could not be more proud of this group of players. To battle the way we did today for 110 minutes after playing in such difficult, tiring conditions is a true testament to the character of this team. A 14-2-4 record is an outstanding achievement."
 
Both teams scored early in the second half to tie the game up, 1-1.
 
St. Lawrence's Aidan Callahan put the Saints up, 1-0, just 5:13 into the second half, on a tip from McNamee. Kelly was also credited with the double assist on the goal.
 
Just 8:10 later, the Bombers evened the score when first-year Alex Leahy crossed the ball from the right, giving junior Kevin Turi the chance to get a head on it and put it away for his fourth goal of the year.
 
The game was tight from the jump, with both the Bombers and St. Lawrence generating offensive opportunities with strong defensive efforts behind them.
 
Through the first 10 minutes of play, the Bombers put pressure on the Saints' defense and Smith in goal.
 
Senior Sam Factor registered the first IC shot of the game 2:35 in, forcing Smith to make the save.
 
The Bombers kept things on their end, recording a corner kick in the eighth minute. Factor put another shot on frame in the 10^th minute, but Smith came up with the save once again.
 
From there, things went back-and-forth between the teams until the 30:21 when IC generated two corner kicks in a row. The Bombers also earned a corner kick in the 33^rd minute before St. Lawrence gained possession and made an offensive push.
 
Lichtenstein stopped a Tapshak Augustine shot in the 38^th minute for his first save of the game.
 
St. Lawrence went on to register three more shots in the first half. Callahan's shot in the 40^th minute sailed wide before Justinian Michaels made a huge play on the line to clear another Callahan attempt with just under two minutes remaining in the half. Dede rounded out the first half with a wide shot in the 44^th minute.
 
Michaels' clear on the line was just one of many big plays Ithaca's defense continually made all game. Sophomore Ben Quatresols was a defensive stalwart in the back, stifling many Saints' offensive attacks.
 
Despite Monnes registering the first shot of the second half just 3:25 in, St. Lawrence would go on to take the lead less than two minutes later.
 
Following the Saints goal, IC earned a corner kick in the 52^nd minute and put a shot on goal, from Turi, the following minute, which was saved by Smith.
 
After more back-and-forth play between the Bombers and St. Lawrence, Monnes put a ball on frame in the 83^rd minute, which was saved by Smith.
 
St. Lawrence had the final attempt of regulation, with just 25 seconds left, but Lichtenstein stopped Callahan's header to send things into overtime.
 
The Saints dominated offensively through the first overtime period, recording two shots and earning three corner kicks while IC did not have a shot or corner kick. Ithaca's defense, however, successfully cleared the ball on each corner kick to keep the Saints from taking the lead.
 
Nate Mansfield opened up the second overtime period with a shot, which was blocked by a St. Lawrence defender.
 
Ithaca's best chance in overtime was in the 105^th minute when a corner kick generated another Mansfield shot for IC, but it sailed wide.
 
St. Lawrence had one final opportunity to win things in overtime with just 35 seconds left, but Lichtenstein once again made the play on Robert Reynolds' attempt.
 
Statistically, St. Lawrence outshot the Bombers, 14-9, but IC earned 10 corner kicks to the Saints six. Lichtenstein finished with three saves on the day.
 
The Bombers now sit at 14-2-4 on the season, which tied the program record for most wins. IC now waits to find out if they will receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The championship field will be revealed on Monday, November 5 at 1 p.m.

"Now, we wait but we certainly believe we are an NCAA tournament team," said Dezotell. "We have the fourth best win percentage in the region and are undefeated against ranked teams so we will hope to hear the Ithaca Bombers called tomorrow on the NCAA Selection Show."