To the tune of “Freaks” by Timmy Trumpet, the Ithaca College women’s lacrosse team starters took the field against the Clarkson University Golden Knights on April 4. Although their lead waxed and waned, the Bombers never let the Golden Knights take over, ending the game 17-11.
Sophomore attacker Kelly Augeri’s seven goals were backed by a strong performance from the team’s younger players. Senior midfielder Elizabeth Green said the underclassmen stepped up throughout the match.
“Senior leadership is great, but … [Augeri] was bearing it and playing with so much confidence,” Green said. “I’m very happy that we can start to show the sophomores and the freshmen that they can really take over a game.”
The first few minutes of the game were slow for Clarkson’s offense, largely thanks to defenders like senior Kaitlyn Russell and first-year student Gabrielle Crellin. They kept Clarkson in its half by doubling up on the ball handler and forcing turnovers.
Just under seven minutes into the game, Augeri started her scoring bonanza, nailing a shot past the keeper after a smooth pass-around. Clarkson matched the goal 90 seconds later with a diving shot past first-year goalkeeper Mikaela Dattillo.
But the Bombers were not done. With 2:21 left in the frame, graduate student attacker Hayley Armstrong slipped the ball in the back of the net with ease, making the game 2-1.
The last few seconds before the buzzer were sloppy for both teams, but the score remained the same heading into the next quarter.
Throughout the match, Green had been running circles around the opposition, and for the first time, her efforts bore fruit. She scored less than a minute into the second frame, but she had more fuel in the tank to carry an assist to Augeri in the second minute. The Bombers led 4-1.
The slick transitions between sticks were what made the Bombers’ offense so lethal. Clarkson’s defense was left scrambling as the ball switched hands over and over, yet it repeatedly found Augeri. She recorded her hat trick less than three minutes into the second frame, bringing the lead to 5-1.
Augeri’s goal was assisted by junior attacker Leigh Naturale, who tallied four assists in total and three for Augeri. Naturale also scored swiftly after Clarkson ended the 3-point scoring drought. With 11:07 left in the half, it was 6-2.
Both teams’ energy from the field made the buildups to goals feel cinematic. While Clarkson scored a couple times off of minor gaps in defense and critical free positions, the Bombers’ smart offense kept them in the lead.
Augeri had a potential shot in front of her with under five minutes left, but instead she cut in toward the goalie’s blindside to ensure she made her fourth goal, assisted by junior midfielder Lily Cody.
On a free position immediately after, Cody imitated this powerful rush at the goal to bring the score to 8-4 with under five minutes left in the half.
The clock was winding down, but new scorers were winding up. Junior midfielder Katelyn Ikle scored her second goal of the season to the roar of the bench, but with a last-minute Clarkson goal, the Bombers led the half 9-5.
Despite an action-packed start, both teams looked tired in the third quarter, with players trading penalties and turnovers.
“We’ve been really working on keeping the energy the whole game,” Green said. “We had a little bit of a lull in the third quarter, but I feel like this is the first game we’ve really nailed it down the whole time.”
Clarkson whittled away at the lead, scoring twice in a row because of penalties on the Bombers that created player-up opportunities for the Golden Knights.
The visitors had just scored their third in a row when the Bombers were looking for just one goal to get the momentum back in their favor — 7:11 left in the quarter. As always, Augeri delivered. Just 30 seconds later, she had her fifth goal of the game.
“[Scoring] feels great but honestly, it was just good to get a team win in the Liberty League,” Augeri said. “We’d come off a hard loss. I thought the team really pulled it together and we showed that we can be a dominant team again.”
The attackers kept the ball around the Clarkson goal, and Cody continued drawing fouls as she went 3-3 on free position goals, widening the lead to 12-8.
Augeri got her sixth goal 30 seconds later, and with about five minutes left until the final frame, a revived defense kept the Golden Knights from scoring. They had their chances, but consistent pressure forced repeated fumbles.
A minute and a half into the fourth quarter, Naturale looked ready to give Augeri her seventh goal of the game — and she did. At this point, with a score of 14-8, Augeri had scored half of her team’s goals.
Although the Bombers were running down the clock with some slow possessions, the score was 14-10 with under 10 minutes left. Green answered with her second unassisted goal of the game, breaking away near her own goal line to slam the ball right between the posts on the opposite end of the field.
“We have a great group of seniors who have really led us this season,” Augeri said. “Even when there’s bad moments in the game, I know the defense is gonna come up with the ball and we’re just gonna keep our head up and keep going.”
As the quarter went on, the game got sloppier and the ball seemed to spend more time out of players’ sticks than in them. The Golden Knights managed to score off a ground ball but with under 4:30 left, their chances looked slim.
Graduate student midfielder Lexi Kellish powered through a whack to her head to score her first goal of the game. In the final minutes, the Clarkson attackers were looking for opportunities that weren’t there, wasting time they didn’t have and the matchup’s fate was sealed at 17-11.
“The plan for tomorrow? Same thing,” Augeri said. “Put the ball in the back of the net, lock it down on defense and keep going.”
The Bombers will match up against St. Lawrence University at 3 p.m. April 5 at Higgins Stadium.
