The Ithaca College women’s soccer team made a comeback fit for the start of a championship pursuit with an astounding 10–1 win over Elmira College. All 10 of the Bomber’s goals were scored by different players, showing the depth the squad brings.
The Soaring Eagles won the kick-off and headed straight down to the Bomber’s side of the field, quickly losing the ball to graduate student midfielder Sarah Sinnott, who ran down the field and assisted senior forward Rosie Bostian for the Bombers first goal just 2:20 in. In under 2 minutes, at 3:42, the Bombers doubled their lead when junior midfielder Julia Cascone scored a solo goal, vigorously slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
The Bombers dominated the field with their defensive and midfield players assisting forwards, preventing the Soaring Eagles from even passing the halfway line. The Soaring Eagles beefed up their defense, and it wasn’t until sophomore forward Kaelyn Fernandez dashed past 3 defenders, earning a one-on-one with the Soaring Eagles’ goalkeeper and sliced the ball right into the bottom left corner of the net to make it 3–0 Bombers.
After the game, Head coach Mindy Quigg remarked that the team has been practicing various skills and “building up [their] fundamentals,” a modest statement after sophomore defender Ali Almari scored a headshot with her back facing the goal. The crowd roared after Almari’s goal, and players ran from the benches to celebrate Almari’s stylish accomplishment. Senior midfielder Ally Stanton scored the final goal of the half, putting the Bombers in a 5–0 lead.
The second half began with the Soaring Eagles trying to stop the bleeding by putting in a new goalkeeper. Still, similarly to the first half, the Bombers scored their first goal within the first two minutes of the game thanks to junior defender Rachel Hersch faking out defenders by pulling back the ball and passing it to junior midfielder Carrie Davis, who had a wide-open net. Sophomore forward Ava Detorie dribbled past two defenders and popped the ball up with her right foot, causing the Soaring Eagles’s goalkeeper, junior Miranda Waterman, to miss the save.
The Bombers led 7–0 until sophomore forward Piper Andrews scored the only goal for the Soaring Eagles when a header pass between first-year midfielder Zara Nourie and sophomore midfielder Maggie Galewski got the ball into her possession.She then sprinted down the field and dribbled the ball past Bombers’ junior goalkeeper Grace Hickey.
Even after scoring a goal, the Soaring Eagles maintained a defensive approach for the rest of the game. Bombers senior goalkeeper Kate Lawerence yelled “Keep up the intensity!” and the Bombers ended the final 35 minutes with 8 more shots and scored three more goals, ending their first match of the season with a 10-1 win.
Intending to obtain a second Liberty League Championship, the Bombers are off to a start fit only for champions. The Bombers will next play at 12 p.m. Sept. 3. at York College.
