It was a physical game from the start as the Ithaca College women’s soccer team completed a 2–0 win against the Nazareth Golden Flyers in a non-conference game Sept. 16 on Carp Wood Field.
Solid ball movement resulted in two early shot attempts for the Bombers who kept the pressure on the Golden Flyers’ defense.
In the 18th minute, Golden Flyers junior goalkeeper Annika Monfort made a great save on a corner kick to keep the Bombers off the scoreboard.
Nazareth, with a quick and physical style of play, were able to make some runs in the open field, getting their first shot on goal in the 28th minute, but the Bombers defended well to keep them out of trouble.
After clearing the Golden Flyers shot, the Bombers answered with a run of their own, creating space for graduate student midfielder Sarah Sinnott to deliver a strike on goal, but Monfort made another great save for the Golden Knights.
Leaning into the physical nature of the first half, the Bombers earned a free kick in the 39th minute, continuing to put shots on goal and accumulating 10 shots in the first half.
Nazareth created some havoc in the final minutes of the first half, putting two shots on goal in two minutes. Junior goalkeeper Grace Hickey and the Bombers defense dropped back to clear it away, keeping the Golden Flyers off the board going into the second half.
Coming out of half time, both sides continued to move the ball well as senior midfielder Ally Stanton got the Bombers bench pumped with a rocket of a shot in the 51st minute that just missed over the goal
After a great save by Hickey, the Bombers created momentum the other way resulting in a goal by junior midfielder Julia Cascone in the 57th minute putting the Bombers up 1–0.
Continuing to put the pressure on the Golden Flyers’ defense, the Bombers earned a penalty kick in the 64th minute.
Senior forward Rosie Bostian stepped up to take a penalty kick after a foul was called on Golden Flyers’ junior forward Haley Glassman, but the Golden Flyers goalkeeper made the stop to keep the score at 1–0.
The Bombers would strike again in the 79th minute with a goal off the foot of first-year midfielder Mia Medearis. Assisted by junior defender Allison Heft, this was Medearis’s first goal of the season making it 2–0 Bombers.
With a final score of 2–0, outshooting the Golden Flyers 22–8, the South Hill squad improved to 4–1–1 on the season.
Senior defender Clare Sunderland spoke to the chemistry of the squad today in pulling out this win.
“Today was a great team win, everyone stepped up and did their job,” Sunderland said.Entering Liberty League competition, the Bombers will now head on the road to take on Alfred University at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 in Alfred, NY.
