The Ithaca College field hockey team came out victorious over the Scranton University Royals in a defensive battle Sept. 27 at Higgins Stadium. The 1–0 victory took five periods before completion and improved the Bombers’ record to 6–3 on the season.
The Bombers dominated possession time early in the initial quarter, taking ownership of Royal territory and finding time and room to put four shots on Scranton’s junior goalkeeper Gianna Travia. However, the opening frame proved to be a defensive showcase, with neither team finding an advantage in the striking circle. The Bombers earned one penalty corner during the period, but the first quarter closed without score.
The stalemate continued deep into the second quarter, with the Bombers’ junior midfielder Meara Bury making a statement in neutral territory. The Ballston Lake native was a key playmaker for the squad in blue, working to distribute the ball and maintain possession throughout the quarter.
Her efforts proved successful when the Bombers were awarded their second penalty corner of the frame with 3:17 remaining — however, the Royals’ defense remained impenetrable. The first half closed in a 0–0 tie.
Following the intermission, the Bombers worked to create strong offensive opportunities early in the third quarter. Junior striker Natalie Descalso was hungry in the midfield, working downfield to force the ball into Royal territory and generate scoring options for her teammates. Despite three penalty corners on the frame, the Royals’ defense shut down each of the Bombers’ three shots on goal, winding down yet another quarter without score.
The Royals jumped into the final quarter of regulation with a newfound sense of urgency, suddenly controlling possession time and putting pressure on senior goalkeeper Alex Clough. Two clear shots on Clough tested the Bombers’ defensive line, but junior defender Bella McCollister held down the fort within the arc.
The Bombers could not retain possession on their half of the field until late in the quarter, earning their seventh penalty corner of the competition with just under three minutes of play remaining. Travia stood tall once more, denying the Bombers what would be their final scoring opportunity of regulation time. The game clock expired with a 0–0 tie on the board, sending the matchup into a 10-minute 7-on-7 overtime period.
The fast-paced extra frame drew scoring opportunities from both sides of the field, but the Bombers earned an additional penalty corner, putting them at a valuable woman-up advantage. Finally, the Bombers found time and room to execute on the opportunity. Descalso’s drive from the arc deflected off the stick of junior striker Juliana Valli, slotting the ball past Travia and solidifying a sudden-death Bombers victory.
The Bombers held the Royals to zero penalty corners throughout the game, meaning their offensive opportunities were significantly decreased. Head coach Kaitlyn Wahila said her team went into the competition knowing that it will be a defensive battle, and she is proud of her athletes’ coachability.
“We really set the tone defensively today,” Wahila said. “It’s something we’ve worked on in practice throughout the week, so that’s even more exciting from a coaching perspective. Seeing the team be able to execute what we’ve been working on shows the coaching staff that this team is so coachable and so willing to take feedback at practice.”
The Bombers will continue Liberty League play when they travel to Saratoga Springs for a matchup at 2 p.m. Sept. 30 with the Skidmore College Thoroughbreds.
