ITHACA, N.Y. – On a crisp fall afternoon, the Ithaca College women's soccer team hosted Skidmore on Friday for a Liberty League Championship semifinal matchup. The Bombers were able to find the back of the net just eight minutes into the match and didn't look back from there as they added a second half insurance effort in a 2-0 win over the Thoroughbreds. With the win, Ithaca will now host the Liberty League Championship on Carp Wood Field on Sunday, November 10 as they look for their second championship in three years.
The Bombers established early control dominating the first five minutes of the match in their offensive third of the field. Ithaca nearly opened the scoring on a free kick from 45 yards out as
Allison Heft sent a ball within the box that nearly fooled Avery Rogers as it dipped in the wind but was stopped by Rogers at the 3:49 mark.
Ithaca would generate another scoring chance off a free kick and this time the Bombers found the back of the net.
Allison Heft whipped in a ball from 20-yards outside of the box and
Rosie Bostian headed it and redirected it past Rogers putting Ithaca up 1-0 in the eighth minute. It was the second-straight game that Bostian found the back of the net and was her fourth goal of the season. IC nearly doubled its lead in the 18
th minute when
Devin Sylvia slid a shot attempt across the goal mouth, but it went out of play past the left post.
Skidmore saw its first shot attempt recorded at the 22:36 mark when Ella Stone fired one off her right boot that sailed wide left of frame.
Kaelyn Fernandez ripped a shot that was on target in the 29
th minute that forced Avery Rogers into her second save of the match.
Grace Hickey was pressed into duty just minutes later as she recorded her first save of the match denying an Ella Stone shot.
The Bombers carried their 1-0 lead into the halftime break. They ended up outshooting the visitors by an 8-4 margin. Much like the beginning of the first half, Ithaca came out firing on all cylinders and ended up scoring an insurance effort in the 47
th minute. From just outside the box,
Ali Amari whipped in a cross that was settled and then fired into the bottom left corner by
Sarah Sinnott.
Up 2-0, Ithaca continued to press for more and was nearly rewarded with another goal at the 54:58 mark when
Allie McCabe gathered a corner kick cross but her point blank attempt was blocked by a Skidmore defender. Minutes later,
Grace Hickey recorded another save as she denied a Hazel Aiello effort from just within the 18-yard box.
Kaelyn Fernandez had a breakaway effort denied with Avery Rogers making a stop on the one-on-one chance in the 72
nd minute.
Skidmore was unable to generate any dangerous scoring chances from there as Ithaca held on to preserve the 2-0 victory. William Smith was able to score a 2-0 win over No. 3 seeded Vassar in Friday's other Liberty League semifinal match.
With today's win, Ithaca College advance to the championship game where they will take on the No. 11 nationally ranked Herons. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Carp Wood Field and will be the third time in the last four years that they have met vying for a conference title.
