WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The 15^th-ranked Ithaca College men's lacrosse team got its 2019 season underway on Wednesday afternoon when it traveled to the Keystone State to face Lycoming at the Shangraw Complex in Williamsport, Pa. Behind a second-half barrage, the Bombers showcased all aspects of their high-flying attack in a 17-3 runaway victory over the Warriors. The victory pushed IC's record to 1-0 on the year and 14-0 all-time against Lycoming.
 
Despite frigid temperatures and wind-chills that sat in the high teens, Ithaca's attack was red-hot in racking up 17 scores on the afternoon. However, it did take a little while for the Bombers to get the floodgates open, as Lycoming's keeper Michael Tenant kept the Warriors in hit for the better part of a half. In the end, Ithaca dominated the final possession, finishing the contest with a hefty advantages in both shot attempts (69-to-15) and shots-on-goal (46-to-9). The Bombers relentless defense also was responsible for 40 Lycoming turnovers in the game, 25 of those going down as caused miscues.
 
Headlining Ithaca's scoring line on the day was sophomore attacker Connor Brumfield. The Liberty League's reigning Rookie of the Year started his second collegiate season with a bang, posting a career-high nine points on six goals and three assists. The second-year talent led five total multi-goal efforts on the day.
 
Chipping in two-goal games were: senior Brendan King (2G-1A), juniors Ryan Ozsvath (2G) and Dan Lee (2G), as well as sophomore Kyle Johnson (2G). Adding points for IC on the afternoon were: senior Owen Smith (1G), sophomore Connor Till (1G), first-year Vince Riggio (1G), senior Josh Della Puca (3A), senior Conner Crosson (1A), junior Kevin Enos (1A), and first-year Jae Stuhlman (1A).
 
Defensively, Ithaca was relentless in its pressure of the overwhelmed Warriors. Much of the damage was done on the ride, as Lycoming coughed up possession numerous times trying to exit the zone. The Bombers held Lycoming to just 50-percent on the clear for the day (17-for-34).
 
Leading the way in terms of statistics was sophomore Jake Hall-Goldman who backed his breakout rookie season with a strong start to 2019. He finished the day with a game-high four caused turnovers, while also adding three ground-balls. Rookies Demetri Lowry and Stuhlman both added three caused turnovers apiece in strong collegiate debuts. Four other Bombers added multiple caused turnovers on the day, a group that included: junior Aaron McCartney (2CT, 2GB), Della Puca (2CT, 5GB), Crosson (2CT, 1GB), and sophomore Dillon Fitzpatrick (2CT, 2GB). Five additional IC players recorded one caused turnover.
 
The storyline of the opening half was Lycoming goalie Michael Tenant. The Warriors man in cage kept the home side within striking distance, withstanding wave-after-wave of Ithaca attacking pressure. The margin stood at just 5-2 at halftime after a pair of late Lycoming tallies in the final 30-seconds of the half. Ithaca outshot Lycoming 36-to-4 in the opening half. Till, Johnson, Smith, Brumfield and Lee had the first-half scores. Tenant finished the opening half with 19 first-half saves, while he would go on to finish the day with 28 total.
 
The turning point in the contest came during the third quarter. Brumfield took over the game in the frame, scoring three times in the first 4:55 out of the halftime break, before finishing with four scores total in the third. The big start by Brumfield sparked the seven-goal quarter, which blew open IC's lead at 12-2 heading into the final 15-minutes of regulation.
 
The Bombers kept right on rolling in the fourth quarter. The team found the back of the net five more times in the final frame to cap the victory on a high note. Brumfield kicked off the final quarter with his sixth goal of the afternoon, while Ozsvath, Lee and Johnson each added a second goal to their respective ledgers. It was a first-year Bomber that capped the day, as Vince Riggio fired home IC's 17^th goal with 25-seconds remaining.
 
On the opposite end, rookie Connor Thornton got the starting nod for the Bombers and played well in finishing out all 60-minutes of the contest. Although not often tested throughout the day, Thornton finished the afternoon with six saves in his collegiate debut to earn his first career victory.
 
Ithaca will be back in action this weekend when it makes its 2019 home debut against SUNY Geneseo on Saturday, March 2. The contest will be the first game of a doubleheader at Higgins Stadium. The men's contest starts at noon, while the nationally-ranked IC women face 15^th-ranked SUNY Cortland in the second game of the day at 3:00 p.m. CFCU will be presenting sponsor for the doubleheader, with exciting promotional water bottles and rally towels available for fans in attendance.