The Ithaca College field hockey team destroyed the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles in a 9-0 shutout Sept. 17. The Bombers’ substitutes made vital contributions, scoring six of the nine total goals.
The Bombers continued their home stand coming into the game with a record of 4-2. The Bombers continued their momentum, coming off a 2-1 victory over No. 17 SUNY Geneseo on Sept. 13.
The South Hill squad started junior goalkeeper Abby Cannon for the first time this season and she executed well, pitching a shutout.
The Bombers started off strong, picking off a sloppy Golden Eagles pass towards the top of the Golden Eagles’ shooting circle. Despite this, the Golden Eagles had an answer as sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Mastromarco made a fantastic kick save, robbing Bombers’ junior striker Toni Ierardi.
Ierardi responded almost instantly, sliding over an incredible cross circle pass to sophomore striker Mia Woodard. The Bombers continued to hunt down offensive opportunities, dominating possession times and shots with 10 in the first quarter alone. The only answer that the Golden Eagles had was Mastromarco.
However, in the second quarter, the wheels started to fall for Masteromarco and the Golden Eagles’ squad because they gave up three more goals. Despite the defensive lapse, the Golden Eagles started the second off strong with some great offensive rushes far side into the Bombers’ defensive zone, but the Bombers’ interior shooting circle defense was a stone wall.
The Bombers’ tough defense turned to offense when in the 21st minute junior striker Caroline Folan scored her first goal of the season off an assist from senior midfielder Brenna Schoenfeld. Eight minutes later, a neat little behind the back pass by junior midfielder Audrey McMahon led to a high shooting circle shot and a tip in goal by junior striker Breeah Shaw to make the score 3-0.
With 13 seconds left, junior striker Ainsley Grant batted in a goal out of mid air, netting her second goal of the season, to make the score 4-0 at the half.
The third kicked off with the Golden Eagles’ goalkeepers switching out. Mastromarco came out for senior goalkeeper Katelynn Banning to attempt to stop the bleeding. This change did not go according to plan due to an unrelenting Bombers offense.
Schoenfeld found the stat sheet once again off a long top of the arch shot from senior midfielder Eliza Ballaro. Schoenfeld grabbed the rebound and nestled it past the right post for her first goal of the season, giving the Bombers’ a 5-0 lead. The Golden Eagles would try to respond, but the Bombers would not let them anywhere near the shooting circle.
The South Hill squad had an abundance of opportunities in the third due to a very loose defensive structure from the Golden Eagles. The Bombers picked up another 11 shots in the quarter alone, adding to their 43 total shots across the entire game.
The fourth quarter became just a point clinic for the Bombers, with five new subbed in players picking up points for the Bombers. Head coach Kaitlyn Wahila said there was an emphasis on rotating players.
“We want to be able to sub a lot,” Wahila said. “We want to be able to have fresh legs out there, especially in the upper half of our formation.”
It seemed as if the Golden Eagles did not have an answer all night for the Bombers’ defense, leading to an eventual shutout for Cannon. Cannon expressed her appreciation for her teammates keeping her cool on the field.
“I want to give [my defenders] a big thank you for keeping me calm and collected in front of that net,” Canon said.
The Bombers would pick up another four goals in just the fourth quarter alone. With sophomore striker Delaney Szwast tallying two of the four herself in under two minutes. Wahila said Szwast has earned her playing time.
“[Szwast has] been working really hard at practice,” Wahila said. “To get the opportunity tonight and finish, was really wonderful.”
In their 14 players on the Bombers’ roster registering at least one goal in just their first seven games of the season more so, 15 of their players have two or more points in just the first seven games of the season. Schoenfeld said she was happy about the team’s chemistry.
“My points are my points, but it doesn’t matter,” Schoenfeld said. “I’m just proud of the team for showing up and everyone connecting and those points are from everyone.”
The Bombers will be back at 1 p.m. Sept. 20 at Higgins stadium to take on the SUNY New Paltz Hawks who are 3-3 on the season.
