Coming off a dominant 4–0 win over Hartwick College on Sept. 23, in which they set a season-high for goals scored, the Ithaca College field hockey team returned to action with an Empire 8 matchup Sept. 26 against Nazareth College with a second consecutive shutout 1–0 win.
The Blue and Gold’s red hot offense struck almost immediately.
Junior Cassie Schuttrumpf knocked home her fourth goal of the season 12 minutes into the first half off the assist by senior Olivia Salindong, making it 1–0 Bombers. The goal would eventually be the deciding factor in the game. With the goal, Schuttrumpf pulled into a tie for the team lead in goals with fellow junior Colleen Keegan-Twombly.
The Bombers bombarded the Nazareth net with 14 first half shots while allowing only two shots.
The minimal offensive pressure by the Golden Flyers was a product of the South Hill squad’s improved defensive confidence. As the second half wore on, the Bombers continued to clamp down, holding Nazareth to five shots total on the game.
While the defense was rock solid for the Blue and Gold, they also brought immense pressure on the offensive side, attempting 13 penalties to Nazareth’s four.
Junior goalie Katie Lass picked up her fourth shutout of the season as she leads the Empire 8 conference with a .49 goals-against percentage and second with a .911 save percentage.
Lass said the hard work put in by the team over the last few weeks has shown in their games coming down to the wire.
“I think that being 3–1 this season in E8 play really shows how hard we have worked up to this point and the commitment we have made,” Lass said. “Everyone is just working really well together, and we are connecting on the defensive end.”
With the win, the Bombers pick up their fourth win in the past five years against Nazareth. The Blue and Gold are tied in overall record with St. John Fisher College in the Empire 8 standings, but because of their loss to the Cardinals, Ithaca sits in second in the conference with four games remaining on their Empire 8 slate.
The South Hill squad will now turn its attention to William Smith College, whom they will play at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 in a rare nighttime match-up at Higgins Stadium.
