ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's soccer team dictated the pace of play on Wednesday evening and came away with a 2-0 win over Alfred in their final non-conference game of the season.
 
Both teams felt each other out in the opening minutes as the first attempt on goal was taken by the Bombers on a corner kick. Megan Buttinger whipped in a great ball that found the head of Allison Heft who redirected her shot just high and above the crossbar at the 2:53 mark. The first save of the match was made in the 10^th minute as Delaney Rutan saw her shot immediately corralled by Kiana Barnard-Pratt.
 
The Bombers had a glorious chance to find a breakthrough in the 14^th minute when Megan Buttinger was sent on a one-on-one with the keeper, but she was denied by a sprawling Barnard-Pratt. Just under two minutes later and off another corner kick, Ali Amari saw her shot attempt fly high and above the bar as well. Alfred conceded their eighth corner kick of the match in the 22^nd minute as this time Buttinger received the ball at the top of the 18-yard box but her finesse shot was off target.
 
Kiana Barnard-Pratt was in perfect positioning to deny a Rosie Boastian shot attempt off a corner kick and the Bombers were once again denied the first goal of the game in the 33^rd minute when Boastian sliced back-to-back shot attempts that were both stopped by Barnard-Pratt. After she made 13 saves, Ithaca finally made it 1-0 at the 40:32 mark right before the halftime break. It was an outstanding run and dribbling by Ally Stanton as she danced away from a Saxons defender and ripped a right-footed shot into the back of the net. It was the junior's fifth goal of the 2022 season.
 
Ithaca dominated the first half holding a 17-0 advantage in shot attempts as they placed 14 of them on target. The second half opened up with the Bombers controlling most of the possession and pace of play. IC was rewarded with their solid play when they made it 2-0 in the 58^th minute. Delaney Rutan crossed in a dangerous ball that was settled by Ally Stanton and passed along to Megan Buttinger who finished it off.
 
The Saxons saw their first shot attempt slice high and to the right of the goalframe in the 59^th minute. Ithaca continued to push for an insurance effort as a nice stop in goal once again came from Kiana Barnard-Pratt as this time she denied a Kaelyn Fernandez shot attempt from just inside the 18-yard box.
 
With Tuesday's win, Ithaca now improves to 7-2-2 overall as they now have six Liberty League games remaining before postseason play. The Bombers will host Bard College on Saturday as they will celebrate Senior Day on Carp Wood Field prior to the match. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.