The Ithaca College women’s lacrosse team scored double digits for the third game in a row to take down the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds 11–4 in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament on May 2.
The game was closer than the last time the teams matched up just three days prior, which the Bombers won 20–6. But while the Thoroughbreds held the Bombers to nine points fewer, they could not stop junior attacker Chloe Nordyke or junior midfielder Caroline Wise, who each put up hat tricks in the win.
In part because of a season-low total of two draw controls from Wise, who has 175 on the season and sits in second place on the national leaderboard, the Bombers took a while to get started while the Thoroughbreds got on the board fast. Just 37 seconds into the contest, first-year student midfielder Grace deBenedictis put Skidmore in the lead for the first and only time in the game.
The Bombers took a few minutes to get back into the game, but Wise put her first goal in off a free position shot to tie the game with 12 minutes left in the quarter. A series of defensive battles and offensive miscues ensued from both teams, but the Bombers’ junior attacker Maizy Veitch gave the Bombers a two-goal lead with a pair of shots one minute apart.
The Thoroughbreds started off the second quarter the same as the first, with a fast goal to cut the Bomber lead to just one. However, it was not enough, and the Bombers scored four unanswered goals to take a 7–2 lead into the half.
Wise got her hat trick 42 seconds into the third frame, but the third quarter proved to be another defensive contest with neither team able to get much done. The score held at 8–2 until Nordyke found the back of the net for the second time with under three minutes to play.
Keeping with the trend of fast goals in each quarter, the Thoroughbreds cut into the lead 30 seconds in, but the Bombers were able to hold onto the lead, scoring two more and allowing one to give the Bombers a postseason win after a turbulent season.
Sophomore defender Kaitlyn Russell, who had a strong game on the defensive end, said after the game that it was a good win considering the fast turnaround time after playing the same team April 29.
“I think we worked in practice on some of the things that we had a tougher time with Saturday,” Russell said.
Russell added that despite the up and down season — the Bombers have not been able to string together more than three wins in a row this year — she is ready for the rest of the playoffs.
“We’re really excited to keep going and keep playing,” Russell said. “We keep talking about having to peak at the right time, and we’re getting there. We’re excited to keep growing and keep winning.”
Russell and the Bombers have a chance to go to the conference finals, but first have to take on Vassar College at 4 p.m. May 5 at Higgins Stadium in the Liberty League Semifinals.
