ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 22 Ithaca College field hockey team moved one step closer to securing the Liberty League regular season title on October 25 as the Bombers shutout Skidmore, 2-0, at Higgins Stadium. Ithaca has now won four straight games and is 10-5 on the season with a 5-1 mark in the Liberty League. A win at St. Lawrence on Sunday will clinch IC's second straight Liberty League regular season title.
The opening 15 minutes was a fight for sustained possession throughout as just one shot was taken, which was by Ithaca and sailed wide of target.
Over the final three minutes of the second quarter, the Bombers were awarded three corners and capitalized on the last one as
Payton Yahner collected a rebound off a shot from
Toni Ierardi and found the back of the net to give IC a 1-0 lead. It was Yahner's first collegiate goal.
Action in the third quarter was similar to the first but the Bombers picked up three corners in nearly four minutes. IC was able to fire off two shots, both of which were saved.
The Bombers dominated the fourth quarter with six shots over the opening 13 minutes, but were unable to beat Victoria Bodnar, who finished the game with 12 saves. It wasn't until the waning seconds of the game when the Bombers tacked on an insurance goal as
Natalie Descalso scored from the top of the circle on a hard strike with just over 20 seconds to go to account for the 2-0 final.
Maeve Clark earned the win in 60 minutes of action, but did not face a shot, as the IC defense blanked the Thoroughbreds in that category.
IC and St. Lawrence will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Canton. The Bombers will then travel to Oswego on October 30 and conclude the regular season against No. 18 Ursinus for Senior Day on November 2.
