ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 10/1 Ithaca College women's lacrosse team will officially get its 2023 season underway this Saturday, February 25 at 1 p.m. at Higgins Stadium at 1 p.m. The Bombers are coming off a program record 17 victories from a season ago, which was capped off with a trip to the third round of the NCAA Division III Championship.
IC, which is ranked No. 10 by the IWLCA and No. 11 by USA Lacrosse Magazine, went 17-4 last season, and earned the program's third-straight at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ithaca has gone to the NCAA Championship five times since 2016 and has won at least one game in each of those trips.
Head coach
Karrie Moore, now in her eight season on South Hill, owns an overall record of 92-29 over the past seven years. The program itself heads into 2023 just 11 wins shy of 500 victories dating back to 1968.
The Bombers welcome back a trio of All-Americans to this year's team in
Rachel Rosenberg,
Caroline Wise and
Maizy Veitch. Rosenberg is regarded as one of the top defensive players in the country and finished 2022 with 84 draws, 49 groundballs and 38 caused turnovers. Wise led the country in draw controls with 203, while Veitch set a new single season record at Ithaca with 105 points on 71 goals and 34 assists.
Wise and Veitch have also been tabbed Preseason All-Americans this year.
Ithaca also welcomes back
Sydney Phillips (49 goals, three assists, 52 points),
Maddie Hall (16 G, 2 A, 18 P),
Lexi Kellish (12 G, 6 A, 18 P),
Chloe Nordyke (3 G, 7 A, 10 P) and
Elizabeth Green (7 G, 1 A, 8 P), who will all factor into the offensive success of the program this season.
On the other end of the field,
Lexi Held (16-3, 148 saves, 8.81 GAA, .487 SV%) returns in cage, while
Maggie Mandel (20 GB, 7 CT) and
Liney Dutchyshyn (22 GB, 22 CT, 1 G) will once again anchor the defense.
Hayley Armstrong,
Kaitlyn Russell,
Gabby Rivera,
Olivia Puppo,
Tess Ferguson,
Kristina Rae,
Julia Foster,
Halle Daino,
June O'Reilly,
Juliana Esposito and
Kayla Howley round out the returners for IC this season.
The Bombers welcome a large group of first-year players in
Lauren Russell,
Alexandria Pollizatto,
Leigh Naturale,
Morgan Saylor,
Lily Cody,
Phoebe Hosford,
Jocelyn Cote and
Katelyn Ikle.
After the opener against Brockport on Saturday, the Bombers will entertain No. 13 Cortland (March 1) and FDU-Florham (March 4) at home.
IC then travels to Scranton on March 8, followed by a home matchup against Rochester on March 11. From there, the Bombers head to Amherst on March 15 and RPI on the 18th. On March 24, IC welcomes No. 14 St. Lawrence to Higgins Stadium, followed by Clarkson the 25th.
The Bombers then hit the road for four straight contests at Union (April 1), Bard (April 7), Vassar (April 8) and No. 8 William Smith (April 12).
IC concludes its regular season with three of four games at home. RIT comes to South Hill on April 15 and then the Bombers go to St. John Fisher April 21. The final two games will be played against No. 20 Hamilton on April 26 and Skidmore on April 29.
The Liberty League Championship begins on May 2 with first round matchups, followed by the semifinals on May 5 and the final on May 7.
