CLINTON, N.Y. – For the third time in five games, the Ithaca College men's soccer team found itself battling into overtime.
 
After a late, game-tying goal from Hamilton in regulation, IC and the Continentals headed into the first overtime period of the game, which is played in a golden-goal format.
 
The Bombers would only need 1:55 of that overtime to score the game-winner.
 
First-year Thomas Pierce sent a corner kick into the box from the right side, where senior Nate Mansfield was waiting for it. From the top left corner of the box, Mansfield sent a header towards goal, where it found the right side of the net for the win.
 
This marks Mansfield's second overtime game-winner of the season, as he scored his first against Wells on September 2.
 
The Bombers improve to 4-0-1 which is the first time since 2007 that IC has not suffered a loss in its first five games of the season.
 
"This was an excellent win for our program," said Head Coach Kyle Dezotell. "We started the game without the required mentality and went behind in the first half because of it. We regrouped at half-time and came out in the second half and competed extremely well. We began the overtime on the front foot and were able to execute from a corner for the game-winner."
 
It was Hamilton that struck first in the opening half, taking a 1-0 lead in the 35^th minute. Sam Dils put a pass from Roth Wetzel past IC goalkeeper Max Lichtenstein to give the Continentals the lead, which held into the second half.
 
The Bombers scored two goals just eight minutes apart in the second half to tie things up and take the lead.
 
In the 62^nd minute of play, first-year Kyle Sicke scored his first career goal, evening the score to 1-1.
 
Jon Kyriakidis followed that up with his second goal of the season in the 70^th minute, on a pass from Mansfield, pushing the Bombers ahead by a goal with just over 20 minutes left to play.
 
The Continentals ultimately ended up tying the game at two with just 4:51 left in regulation. Hamilton's Matt Casadei had the lucky foot on that play, which would force the overtime.
 
The first half of the game proved to be even, with both teams registering just one corner kick apiece while Hamilton recorded the only shot, which resulted in its goal.
 
Ithaca notched the first corner kick of the game just 10:43 in, which did not result in anything. In similar fashion, the Continentals corner kick in the 14^th minute was also unfruitful.
 
Things picked up for both teams in the second half as IC registered five shots and Hamilton, seven.
 
Jack Monnes attempted the first shot of the game for the Bombers just 2:33 into the second half, but it was blocked by a Hamilton defender. Ithaca then registered three corners in a row, but none resulted in a goal.
 
Hamilton recorded its first shot of the half in the 58^th minute, but Jefri Schmidt's attempt was blocked by an IC defender.
 
Following the Bombers' second goal, Lichtenstein was tested by a Schmidt shot in the 72^nd minute, but came up with the save. Schmidt then sent another shot towards goal, but it sailed wide.
 
Another Hamilton shot in the 82^nd minute, from Jake Samieske missed to the left of the goal and a Casadei shot was blocked by an IC defender in the 85^th minute before he scored a minute later.
 
The Bombers' final attempt to take another lead was in the 87^th minute on a shot from Tom Dillmann, which went over the goal.
 
Statistically, Ithaca finished with six shots, three of which were on goal while Hamilton had eight total and three on goal. The Bombers also recorded four more corner kicks than the Continentals.
 
Lichtenstein made one save on the day, which was the lone save of the game between both teams.
 
The Bombers are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they welcome Brockport for a 3 p.m. game. The match follows the women's game against Nazareth and will also be IC's Unite 4 Her game.