GALLOWAY, N.J.– In a low-scoring, intense battle, the Ithaca College men's lacrosse team willed their way to victory over the Stockton University Ospreys with a final score of 6-5. Ithaca improves to 5-2 while Stockton falls to 4-4.
 
This game was filled with emotion as both teams threw their bodies around making every ground ball an all-out war. Despite the low scoring game, the game started with a bang as Sam Baker sent a missile into the top left corner giving Ithaca the early 1-0 advantage. Stockton took it personally and scored right after as Robbie O'Brien found a soft spot in the defense and fired one past Andrew Minard. After leaving the game with an injury, Tim Rogers came back on the field for man up and fired a long-range bounce shot retaking the lead for the Bombers. Robbie O'Brien found the back of the net for the second time in this quarter, tying the game up again, but an unassisted goal from Graham Brady put Ithaca back on top heading into the second quarter.
 
The second quarter started with another IC goal, this time Cullen Adams went right down the teeth of the defense and scored to give the Bombers a two-goal cushion. Then it was Sam Baker, who decided to ping the right corner this time making it 5-2 Ithaca. That was the score heading into halftime. 
 
Stockton scored two out of the three goals in the third quarter and Ithaca's three-goal lead was reduced to two with it being 6-4, heading into the final frame.
 
Stockton had the lone goal of the 4th quarter, and they had one final possession with 30 seconds remaining to tie the game but Ithaca's incredible defensive performance continued as they shut the door on the Ospreys. 
 
Andrew Minard was fantastic yet again as he made 15 saves and Sam Baker's two goals along with Ithaca's 13-of-14 performance from the faceoff x were just enough to scrape by Stockton.
 
Ithaca's next game will be Wednesday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. back on Higgins Field as SUNY Brockport comes to town.