ITHACA, N.Y. - The nationally ranked No. 23 Ithaca College field hockey team defeated the Misericordia Cougars in a 1-0 shutout to start off the season 3-0 at Higgins Stadium on September 4. Ithaca is now 7-0 all-time against Misericordia.

In a dominant performance by the Bombers in every aspect, but the scoreboard, the lone goal scorer Abby Hennessy broke the scoreless tie for her second goal of the season with 33 seconds left in the third quarter off Ithaca's 13th corner of the game. 

Each team's first real chance of the game came off a corner, but shortly after that it became all Ithaca throughout the entirety of the game.

Ithaca dominated Misericordia throughout the first half as the Bombers had eight corners to the Cougars' one.  Ithaca also outshot the opposition 14-1 and Ithaca was the only team to record a shot on goal with four. However, even with Ithaca controlling play this much, the score remained 0-0 at the half.

The start to Ithaca's control of the game came off a corner as Madeleine Goodman shot it wide and Catherine Papa forced a save from the Cougars goaltender Sarah Bogina. Shortly after, a huge chance came off another corner on a shot by Payton Yahner that got blocked on its way to the net.

Misericordia lost out on the only real chance of the game that they had at the end of the 1st quarter as they ran out of time on a fast break. 

The scoreless tie was almost broken late in the 3rd quarter, but the ball deflected off Juliana Valli's foot disallowing the goal. Shortly after a blocked shot from Audrey McMahon late in the third quarter sent Bogina sprawling to make the save, but the ball went just wide.

The Bombers ended the game outshooting the Cougars 26-2, they were the only team to get a shot on goal with eight. Ithaca also had a huge advantage in corners with 13 of them, and Misericordia only had 2. 

The Bombers' next game is on the road on Saturday at 1 p.m. where they will be taking on New Paltz.