GENEVA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's soccer team won its first-ever Liberty League Championship on Sunday with a penalty shootout win over nationally ranked No. 6 William Smith College. Claire Reader played heroics in goal, making five saves in the second half and three in the overtime periods to force the game to penalties where the Bombers executed perfectly.
 
Nothing came between the two teams in the first half. The Herons outshot the Bombers on goal 2-1, having the better opportunities in the half. The Bombers defense held strong, keeping the pressure away from the goalkeeper Reader who made two saves in the half.
 
The Bombers best chance of the half came in just the 7th minute from a wild deflection. All seemed calm for the Herons defense, but outstanding hustle from Kaitlyn Weis forced the defender to make a clearance. Weis got her body in the way and deflected towards goal, but just wide of the net.
 
Just three minutes later, William Smith's Emma Faso smashed a shot from outside of the box, whistling high of the goalframe.
 
William Smith controlled more possession over the next ten minutes, but the Bombers midfield kept the Herons from creating any attacking opportunities.
 
The Bombers did not see any clearer chances at goal. Rosie Bostian and Delaney Rutan each registered shots from long-range that missed over the crossbar, but never troubled the goalkeeper.   
 
Just at the end of the half in the 45^th minute, the Herons made a late push to get on the scoresheet. The Herons played three aerial balls into the box, but all three were cleared away comfortably by the Bombers defense. 
 
The Herons came out in the second half with immediate pressure. Kartine Berg got to the end of dangerous cross at the back post in the 47th minute. She had a wide-open goal to finish, but Ally Stanton arrived at the last second, getting enough of her body in the way to force the shot wide.
 
In the 67th minute, the Bombers defense was tested again with the Herons getting two good looks on goal. Both shots were blocked by Bombers defenders to stop the threat.
 
In the 72nd minute, Reader came up with an important save. The Herons headed the ball on goal from a corner delivered right into the six-yard box. Reader took a couple steps backwards towards goal and leapt high to make a grabbing save.
 
Claire Reader's biggest moment came in the 82nd minute of the game. Sprawling to her right, Reader stuffed a short-range opportunity after the Herons played a cross to the back post.
 
Both teams tried desperately to find a match-winning goal, but nobody could put together a chance on goal, concluding regulation.
 
In the 97th minute in the first overtime period, the Herons won a free kick just outside the box. Ruth Hotaling blasted the shot high over the goalframe, missing a great opportunity.
 
Early in the second period of overtime, it was the Bombers who won a free kick in their offensive half. Megan Buttinger delivered a great ball into the box to find the head of Weis who redirected the ball just wide of the net.
 
In the 103rd minute, Reader came up with more heroics making three saves in the span of a minute. Reader deflected a shot by Ella Reish wide for a corner. On the corner, she made a second save on a header that deflected to the top of the box to Hotaling. Hotaling took a low shot to the corner and Reader went full extension to push the shot wide for a corner.
 
In the final minute of the game, Buttinger was sent through on goal for one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper. Buttinger and Herons goalkeeper Amanda Kessler came out both came out sliding for the ball, but Kessler arrived to it first, sending the game to penalties.
 
Grace Hickey's diving save on Hotaling's penalty gave the Bombers an important advantage early in the penalty shootout. The Bombers converted every penalty, determined to win its first title in 15 years. Krueger's final penalty initially appeared to be saved by Kessler but the shot had enough power to find its way into the bottom left corner, prompting an emphatic celebration for the Bombers.
 
The Bombers clinch an NCAA tournament appearance as well as the third fall sports team at Ithaca College to win a Liberty League title this weekend. The women's soccer program will now wait and see where they will be seeded during the NCAA selection show that will take place at 2 p.m. o Monday. It can be viewed at NCAA.com.