ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The No. 21 Ithaca College men's soccer team defeated Nazareth, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at Golden Flyer Stadium. The Bombers are now 5-1 on the season.
 
It was Ithaca that got on the board first, in the 28^th minute, as Colin Shust finished a pass from Drew Cohn to score his first career goal and put the Bombers up 1-0.
 
The Bombers' lead would hold until halftime, but Nazareth wasted no time following the break. The Golden Flyers' Sam Smyth netted a goal just 4:45 into the second half, scoring his third goal of the year and evening things up, 1-1.
 
Ithaca ultimately took the lead one final time in the 28^th minute as sophomore Theo Scott scored on a turnaround shot. The goal – Scott's second of the season – gave IC a 2-1 edge over Nazareth.
 
It was a tough, physical battle between the Bombers and Golden Flyers from kickoff.
 
Nazareth was the first to get a shot off, as Smyth ripped one on-frame in the 10^th minute. Goalkeeper Max Lichtenstein, however, made his first save of the day on the ball.
 
Senior Justinian Michaels put IC's first shot of the game on-goal in the 15^th minute, which was saved by Nazareth goalkeeper Brian Wilkin.
 
The Bombers tested Wilkin again in the 21^st minute, as Kyle Sicke sent a shot in, which was ultimately saved.
 
Prior to IC's first goal, a shot from Tom Dillmann in the 25^th minute hit the crossbar. The Bombers kept things on their offensive end, earning a corner kick in the 27^th minute which eventually led to Shust's goal.
 
Ithaca continued to pressure Nazareth's defense through the remainder of the first half.
 
Michaels got off back-to-back shots in the 33^rd minute, which went wide and hit the post, respectively. A shot from Dillmann in the 34tth minute was saved on the line by a Golden Flyers' defender to keep the Bombers off the board.
 
Senior Kevin Turi put the final shot of the half on-frame in the 37^th minute, which was saved by Wilkin.
 
Following Nazareth's goal to open the second half, Ithaca continued to knock on the Golden Flyers' door, looking to score the go-ahead goal.
 
Sophomore Thomas Pierce put a shot on-goal, which was saved by Wilkin, in the 67^th minute, just 30 seconds before Scott scored IC's second goal.
 
The Bombers continued to press, looking to add a third goal. In the 78^th minute, Sicke sent a shot in, which was saved by Wilkin. The goalkeeper stopped another shot, from Scott, in the 80^th minute to keep the gap at one goal.
 
Lichtenstein made his second and most important save of the day with just 1:33 remaining, as he saved a shot from Nazareth's Francesco Viavattene, stopping the Golden Flyers' from tying the game.
 
Ithaca is back in action next week with two home matches. The Bombers host Oswego on Tuesday, September 17 at 4:30 p.m. before taking on Cortland on Saturday, September 21 at 1 p.m.