The Ithaca College women’s lacrosse team led a 14-3 blowout against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons on March 1, improving to 2-0 on the season. The last time the two faced off, the Bombers managed to eke out an 11-10 win in overtime, with an overall record of 24-33-1 against the Red Dragons.
The first quarter started in Cortland’s favor when the Red Dragons drew control and ran a clear path into the Bombers’ defensive zone. Their advantage was short-lived because the South Hill squad forced a turnover and a foul. Junior midfielder Lily Cody opened the scoring with a free-position goal two minutes into the quarter.
Cody continued to dominate throughout the first quarter. Cheers overtook the stands as she scored her third point of the quarter with less than a second left on the shot clock, achieving her second hat-trick in two games. By the end of the game Cody had five goals and three draws controlled.
The Bombers ended the quarter up 5-0, but there was more to their strategy than rushing the goal. As the clock ticked toward the first intermission, Cortland struggled to stay on offense. When the South Hill squad was unable to force a turnover, it spread out to apply pressure. The Red Dragons could not find a path to the goal and committed a shot clock violation.
Head coach Karrie Moore said the opening minutes were the biggest learning opportunity for the team, and she said she hopes they take that energy into the rest of the season.
“I really liked how we started the game,” Moore said. “We have a lot of maturing to do as a team, so it’s always nice to start well.”
The second quarter started much quieter than the first, with only two shots from either team in the first five minutes. Sophomore midfielder Kelly Augeri stopped the drought with an assist from junior attacker Leigh Naturale. Naturale led the team with three assists while also scoring three goals of her own.
Sophomore attacker Ashley Melillo managed to score a goal for the Red Dragons with two minutes left in the quarter, but it was a drop in the bucket against the Bombers’ lead. The team went into halftime up 8-1.
The second half kept a similar pace to the second frame. The Red Dragons appeared outraged when referees overturned what would have been their second goal. The refs determined that the Bombers’ defenders were inside the 8-meter fan for more than three seconds without guarding an attacker. The South Hill squad received a foul, but because it occurred before the goal, the score remained at 11-1. Cody capitalized on the opportunity by rushing the goal with 24 seconds left in the period, bringing the score to 12-1.
Despite the score, the Red Dragons continued to give their all. They pushed the tempo and scored halfway through the quarter. Naturale responded with an economical turnover and goal combination, assisted by sophomore midfielder Sydney Smith. Junior goalkeeper Jocelyn Cote followed with an impressive save. After Cortland’s graduate student attacker Toni Cashman attempted to fake Cote out during her free position attempt, Cote effortlessly reached to the top corner of the goal to swat the ball out of the air.
The Red Dragons were able to score during their next possession, but it hardly affected the Bombers’ lead because they ended the game with a comfortable 14-3 victory.
Moore said that while the Bombers had a strong midfield and defense, the team is still working to improve its offensive chemistry. Going into the rest of the season, she said the team needs to maintain their first-quarter energy for the whole game.
“We need to play at a consistent pace,” Moore said. “Being able to play composed for the whole game is the next step for us.”
The Bombers aim to extend their win streak when they go against the University of Scranton at 2 p.m. March 9 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
