ITHACA, N.Y. – For the first time in program history, the nationally ranked No. 22 Ithaca College field hockey team claimed the Liberty League title after beating No. 20 Rochester by a 2-0 score in rainy conditions at Higgins Stadium on Sunday. With the win, Ithaca is 15-5 on the season and runs its winning streak to nine straight games. The Bombers also earn the Liberty League automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship and will find out at 9:30 tonight who and where they will play next week.

The title also marks the first time that Ithaca has won a postseason conference championship in program history. Ithaca will be making its second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 18th all-time trip to the championship dating back to 1982.

Juliana Valli was named the Liberty League Championship Most Outstanding Performer after scoring both goals for the Bombers on Sunday and she now leads the team with eight goals on the season.

Ithaca produced the first chance of the game with a corner at the 9:56 mark of the first quarter, but the ensuing shot went wide. IC took two more shots in the period but neither reached goal.

The Bombers put the game's first shot on goal with 10:04 remaining in the second stanza, but Kara Houston made a diving stop off the attempt from Juliana Valli. Rochester then put together its first opportunity of the contest with just over four minutes to go with a pair of corners, followed by shot attempts, but both tries were not on target.

IC took a 1-0 lead early in the third quarter as the Bombers earned a corner with 10:11 to go. Off the insert, Juliana Valli received a pass and fired a shot on goal, which was saved, but she collected the rebound and found the back of the net to put the Bombers ahead. Ithaca continued to apply pressure after the goal and took four more shots in a minute span, but two were saved.

The Yellowjackets looked to tie the contest early in the fourth quarter with a corner in the opening two minutes. UR's shot off the insert was struck well but wide as Maeve Clark needed to lay out in an attempt to save the attempt from Kristina Federova.


IC tacked on a fourth quarter goal on a breakaway as Natalie Descalso sent a pass to Valli, who had to fight for possession and then sent her shot over the goalie's head for her second goal of the game and solidified her spot as the Liberty League Championship Most Outstanding Performer.

The Bombers dominated the contest in terms of shots and corners as IC outshot the Yellowjackets, 15-3, and held a 6-3 edge in corners. UR never put a shot on goal.

Maeve Clark is now 12-4 on the season and notched her sixth shutout over the past nine contests.

More information on the upcoming NCAA Championship will be posted later this evening or Monday morning.