The Ithaca College women’s soccer team scored another 3 points in the Liberty League through its win against the William Smith College Herons. The first goal was scored within ten minutes of the start, but the rest of the game remained scoreless.
The first half set the tone of the match quickly, with great energy both on the field and in the stands. The Ithaca College men’s soccer team came out to watch the game before their practice began and their shouts, along with the cheers of the players on the sidelines, hyped up the crowd.
The cheering got especially loud after the lone goal of the game, scored by graduate student midfielder Ally Stanton with an assist from junior forward Ava Detorie.
“It was a really exciting feeling,” Stanton said. “This is my first time being on Ithaca where we’ve ever beat [William Smith] in regular season, so it was a really special moment and Ava Detorie played a great corner… Everyone on our team worked so hard to keep the win the whole time, so it was great.”
After Stanton’s score, the game became a matter of defense. The Bombers were forced to draw back as the Herons pressed forward. Head coach Mindy Quigg said the Bombers still played a good game, fighting until the last moment.
“[William Smith] put numbers forward, to score, because they were behind,” Quigg said. “In order to compensate for that, we had to drop a little bit deeper than we wanted to, and that’s what happens in a game… We did a nice job finding our target players, and they held it up, and they stalled the game and did a good job.”
A clear factor in the game was the weather. It was sprinkling for most of the first half, but by the second, the field started to dry and the temperature dropped.
“Once the temperature dropped and after the rain ended, there was a lot more slipping and sliding because we were playing on it so much.”
Both Stanton and Quigg said the weather affects play in big ways, but the Bombers were equipped to handle it.
“The rain definitely makes the ball move faster,” Stanton said. “We’ve had that at practice the past couple days, so we were ready for it.”
Showing their process no matter the weather, the Bombers seemed more confident during the second half. The team knew it had a strong defense, and it was prepared to fight to keep its one-point lead. The Herons kept the ball on the Bombers’ side of the field, refusing to let up.
“We had to play a little less possession in the back, a little more direct than we usually like to play,” Quigg said. “That’s a very good pressing team, so we had to be very mindful of that today.”
The Bombers were especially energetic as the seconds ticked down, refusing to let the Herons pass. The last ten seconds of the game had those in the stands on the edge of their seats, wondering if the Herons would get a miracle shot to tie up the game. But the college stayed strong, and as the second the buzzer sounded, the Bombers rushed onto the field to celebrate their victory.
“I’m so happy with our team’s overall performance,” Stanton said. “Everyone from being on the sideline to being on the field just brought it today and it was great energy, so I’m really proud of everyone.”
The Bombers’ next game is at 3 p.m. Oct. 5 on Carp Wood Field against the St. Lawrence University Saints.
