ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College field hockey team made its home debut under the lights at Higgins Stadium on Wednesday evening when the Bombers took on Utica. Ithaca came to life during the second half of play, capping a thrilling second-half comeback when senior striker Maria McGloin scored 54-seconds into the first overtime period in a 2-1 victory. The win improves IC's record to 2-1 on the young season.

The script was nearly reversed, as Utica opened the extra time with a golden chance on a partial breakaway. Ithaca's junior goalie Savanna Lenker did well to come out and challenge the chance, forcing Utica's Rylee Meelan wide of the right post. The aggressive move gave IC's backline enough time to recover and Meelan never was able to get off the shot attempt.

Moments later Ithaca made the Pioneers pay on a counter attack of its own. Senior striker Meg Dowd made an excellent move to get behind the Utica defense on a two-on-one breakaway down the right flank. She carried possession near the end line and whipped a crossing pass to McGloin who was charging down the middle on a hard center drive. Dowd's pass slipped past Utica goalie Megan Chamberlain's outstretched pad and McGloin made no mistake in slapping home the one-timer shot, before getting mobbed by her teammates in the crease.

McGloin's score capped a furious second-half rally after the Bombers found themselves behind 1-0 less than two minutes into the game. Although IC was able to generate several Grade-A scoring chances during the opening half, the Pioneers carried their 1-0 lead into halftime. Ithaca was not deterred and came out firing early in the second session. Senior back Maddie Keppel and sophomore striker Kristen Rafferty were denied on back-to-back chances in front of cage just over one-minute into the second half.

Four minutes later, Lenker quite possibly saved the game for the Bombers. The third-year keeper made a reaction save after Sabrina Whitehouse shook free down the right flank. Her shot was deflected by Lenker with the pad with the rebound going high in the air, before drifting just wide of the far post and the outstretched stick of Utica's Jessica Belt.

The Bombers pulled level nearly eight minutes later with Dowd again starting the scoring play. With IC pushing for an equalizer with sizeable possession in the Utica third of the field, Dowd made a sprint down the right sideline, before cutting towards the cage at the end line. She sent a pass towards the slot, which McGloin deflected right to the stick of Rafferty in the low slot. The sophomore calmly settled the ball, before whipping home a hard low shot into the bottom right corner of the vacated cage. The goal was much deserved, as Ithaca had carried the better of the play since midway through the opening half.

McGloin and Dowd continued to be a thorn in the side of the Pioneers down the stretch. Dowd was denied on a strong attacking chance with roughly 10-minutes remaining, while McGloin was stymied on a pair of scoring chances one-minute apart with under eight minutes left. McGloin had one last scoring opportunity with under two minutes to play, but her shot from the shot drifted wide of the right post.

The 1-1 deadlock through regulation set the stage for the exhilarating overtime session. With the victory, Ithaca moved to 2-1 in overtime contests under head coach Kaitlyn Wahila dating back to last season.

Offensively, the Bombers were paced by McGloin. The senior finished with nine shot attempts with six of those on target. She would finish with three points, scoring the game-winner and adding the assist on the game tying marker. Rafferty finished with five shot attempts, three of which on goal, netting her first goal of the 2018 season. Dowd finished with three shot attempts and extended her point-streak to three games with the assist on the game-winner.

Lenker improved her record to 2-1 on the year with another strong effort in the IC cage. She finished the contest with six saves and continues to hold a goals-against average around heading into the second weekend of play.

Ithaca will look to continue its winning when it returns to the road this weekend for a matchup at Misericordia. Start time for the contest on Saturday, September 8, is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.