After shutting down Wells College on Friday, the Ithaca College field hockey team held SUNY-Morrisville to only one goal in an 8-1 win Saturday afternoon at Higgins Stadium.

The Bombers defeated the Mustangs for the fifth consecutive year and tallied their largest margin of victory since defeating Elmira College 8-1 in 2004. The squad scored four goals in each half. Sophomore forward Amber Foose said the South Hill squad’s crisp passes ignited its scoring outburst.

“The key to the game was connecting the ball and making sure that we were using each other,” Foose said. “We were really looking up before we passed and just making the stick-to-stick connection. You could tell we were working together.”

Senior forward Julia Conroy had a hat trick and led the Bombers in scoring, while junior midfielder Emily Lash had three assists Saturday. Foose found the back of the net twice, while sophomore forward Danielle Coiro added a goal and an assist.

Senior midfielder Abbey Lind and freshman forward Taylor O’Neil accounted for the Blue and Gold’s other two goals, and sophomore forward Natalie Lynch tallied an assist. Senior goalie Kelly Singleton claimed the win in the cage and made two stops. Foose said the squad’s stifling defensive effort was a result of how quickly the back line players reacted to the ball.

“Our defense was really fast to recover with smart and quick passes out of the circle,” Foose said. “Everyone was recovering and working together to get the ball up the field, so there was minimal opportunities for the ball to be on our defensive end.”

The Bombers began the 2011 season with three consecutive losses, but they have claimed their first two contests this fall by a combined score of 14-3. However, sophomore midfielder Rachel Weston said the South Hill squad is careful not to get ahead of itself.

“This game was awesome, but now it’s in the books,” Weston said. “It’s time to prepare for our next game.”

The Bombers will attempt to move to 3–0 for the first time in more than 10 years when they play SUNY-Oswego at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Higgins Stadium.