The Ithaca College men’s soccer team defeated Union College 4–2 on Oct 14. in Schenectady, New York. The Bombers are now 6–5–1 this season.

It was a Liberty League match with massive implications for both sides. A Bombers win would see the Blue and Gold move into a coveted playoff position. A win for the home side, Union, would be enough for the Dutchmen to draw level with Ithaca in points total in the standings.  

The Bombers would open the scoring in the fourth minute, courtesy of junior Zachary Guerra-Lichtman. Lichtman, who assisted junior Nate Mansfield’s goal against Skidmore, saw his role reversed. Mansfield’s throw–in found the head of Lichtman who notched his first goal on the campaign and the match.

The Dutchmen would answer two minutes later, in the sixth minute. Sophomore midfielder Salvador Lopez Jr. found the back of the net, and his fifth goal of the season, after storming up the left side and slotting a shot past Bombers’ sophomore goalkeeper Max Lichtenstein.

It was a back–and–forth start to the match, and the Bombers managed to break the deadlock in the 13th minute. Junior and captain Sam Factor put home a deflection off of freshman teammate Luke Karen to put the Bombers back in front 2–1.

Union and Lopez Jr. were not finished. The freshman tallied his second goal of the contest in the 22nd minute to draw the Dutchman back on level terms with the Bombers.

Senior goalkeeper Dan Hinckley replaced Lichtenstein in the 24th minute.

Union’s latest goal would not go unanswered. Lichtman played the role of supplier in the 30th minute. His shot rebounded to set up a free header for Karen who made it 3–2.

Lichtman’s service was called upon in the 41st minute. This time, the junior midfielder’s free kick clanged off the crossbar to the feet of junior Nate Schoen. Schoen comfortably tapped it home.

At the end of a free scoring, six goal first half, it was the Bombers who ultimately found themselves ahead by two goals.

Scoring would subside in the second half. Perhaps the Dutchman’s best chance came in the 67th minute, when junior Pedram Malakian’s shot rang off Hinckley’s post.

It would end 4–2 in favor of the Bombers who moved to 6–5–2 with the win.

The Bombers return home at 4 p.m. Oct. 18 to play The Sage Colleges at Carp Wood Field.