DALLAS, Pa. – The Ithaca College field hockey team returned to the road on Saturday afternoon when it continued non-league play at Misericordia. The Bombers turned in another strong effort, eventually pulling ahead on a second-half tally by first-year striker Samantha Horowitz to defeat the Cougars 1-0. The win improves IC's record to 3-1 on the young season.
 
The game was much more lopsided than the scoreboard would indicate. The Bombers dominated the possession for the majority of the contest, but for second time in as many games were repeatedly stymied in the final third of the field time and again. Ithaca outshot Misericordia 20-to-3 in the contest, but the scoreboard remained 0-0 until deep into the second half. Ultimately, it was a rookie that would score the crucial breakthrough, as Horowitz netted the only goal of the contest.
 
Working a combination play down the right side of the field, senior midfielder Maddy Ryan connected with Horowitz in front of the cage. The rookie adeptly controlled possession of the ball and executed a backhand chip past Misericordia keeper Katelyn Campbell who was a brick wall for the Cougars all day. The visitor goalie finished with 13 saves in the contest.
 
The goal was richly deserved for the Bombers, who came out on the front foot and never let up in their pressure. Although the Cougars got the first scoring chance of the contest, junior goalie Savanna Lenker was up to the task with a sharp save inside the first minute of play to deny Tori Carsley on a penalty corner opportunity. It was all IC from that point forward in the opening half.
 
Just two minutes into the contest, Ithaca gained three consecutive penalty corner opportunities. Maddy Ryan hit a post on one of the chances, while the second chance resulted in a shot by senior back Kimmy Briscoe that was parried away by the blocker of Misericordia's Campbell.
 
In the ninth-minute of play, senior striker Meg Dowd and sophomore striker Kristen Rafferty were denied on successive point-blank chances by Campbell to again stymie an IC threat. Senior back Maddie Keppel directed shots on goal in the 24^th-minute and the 34^th-minute, but again Campbell was up to the task to send the team's into halftime scoreless.
 
Ithaca stayed aggressive in the second session, amassing 12 total shot attempts in the final 35-minutes. Within the first 10-minutes of the second half IC racked up six penalty corner opportunities, but still could not solve Campbell, as the Misericordia keeper stopped five shots during the stretch. Sophomore Maya Rodgers and Briscoe each had a shot on goal, while McGloin was turned away on back-to-back shots.
 
IC finally found the breakthrough in the 59^th-minute when Horowitz chipped her shot past Campbell to give IC the lead. The score line remained the same until the waning moments, when the play of the IC defense and Lenker came up large to cement the victory.
 
The Cougars generated five untimed penalty corner opportunities at the end of the contest, but Lenker stood tall. She denied Kayla Pogash on a chance, while the defense finally was able to earn the clear to end the contest and seal the 1-0 shutout.
 
Lenker finished with two saves to move to 3-1 on the year and earn her second shutout of the season.
 
Ithaca returns to action next Tuesday, September 11, when they travel to Oneonta, N.Y., for a 4:00 p.m. contest at Hartwick.