The Ithaca College men’s soccer team faced the 4–0 Alfred State Pioneers in a match that was decided in the last 10 minutes of play. Although it was a fight to the end, the Bombers eventually came out on top 2–1, bringing their season record to 2–0–1.
The Pioneers opened the game with a push onto the Bombers’ side of the field, but graduate student defender Brendan Lebitsch was able to clear the ball downfield. The Bombers quickly answered back with a run down field, but were not able to capitalize. The same trend continued for the next 15 minutes, with the Bombers only getting two off-target shots and the Pioneers getting none.
The only bit of action throughout the first 20 minutes of play was a yellow card on Pioneers’ sophomore midfielder Henry Leahy. Leahy delivered an aggressive slide tackle to Bombers’ sophomore midfielder Drew Warren. Warren looked shaken up after, however was able to get up and keep playing.
In the 24th minute, the Pioneers were able to get a shot on goal after sophomore forward Garret Potts chipped the ball over the goalie. However, Bombers’ senior defender Thaib Abidi was able to clear the ball away before it entered the net. Nothing significant happened for the remainder of the half and the score was knotted 0–0 going into the locker room.
In the 50th minute, the Bombers let up their first goal of the game and the season after Pioneers’ junior forward Nuri Sarbudak was able to shoot the ball low right and past Bombers’ sophomore goalkeeper Johannes Berghahn to make the score 0–1. Shortly after in the 55th minute, Bombers’ senior defender Conor Baird was able to get a shot off which deflected off the opposing goalie away from the goal. Off the deflection, junior defender Landon Hellwig was able to head the ball in the net, however, it was called offside. 13 seconds later in the same minute of play, Hellwig received a yellow card.
In the 64th minute, the Bombers were able to secure a penalty kick. The penalty shot was taken by Warren who shot the ball with a little too much power as it went over the crossbar. For the next 10 minutes of play, the Bombers had multiple shots on goal but all of them were either blocked or saved. During the 72nd minute, Bombers’ senior midfielder Reefe Harrison picked up a yellow card and a minute later in the 73rd minute, Pioneers’ junior defender Evan Blankenberg followed suit, picking up a yellow card of his own.
The Bombers got their first bit of hope after Baird scored in the 75th minute of an assist from first-year defender Gustav Bauerle to make the score 1–1. Bauerle was able to get a wicked-fast shot off from outside the box which bounced off Baird’s cleat to the right and into the goal. Already on a roll from their first goal, the Bombers got their second from Harrison in the 81st minute to bring the score to 2–1. The shot was from the top of the box and was a ground ball that snuck through multiple defenders.
For the rest of the game, the Bombers played spectacular defense, not allowing a single shot even after multiple corner kicks and free kicks from the Pioneers.
The key to the win for the Bombers was their ability to limit the amount of shots the opponent had while also getting off many shots themselves as a team. During the second half, the South Hill squad had 13 shots with five being on target. The Pioneers had one shot which was their only goal of the game.
The Bombers have been playing spectacular defense, only allowing one goal all season that finally came three games into their season. Sophomore defender Jack Walker said the reason for that is because every member of the team is locked in.
“Everyone is just really focused,” Walker said. “Everyone’s preparing in practice really well. Everyone really wants to win. That’s what it comes down to.”
The Bombers will travel for their next match against SUNY Brockport at 4 P.M. Sept. 16 in Brockport, New York.
