Elmira, NY – The Elmira College Women's Soccer team fell 2-1 to nationally-ranked Ithaca College Wednesday evening in Elmira. Despite a phenomenal effort and fighting its way back into the game the Soaring Eagles moved to 7-8-0 overall and 3-3-0 in Empire 8 play. The Bombers improved to 9-2-2 overall and 4-1-0 in conference action.
Ithaca got on the board first 10 minutes in when Rachael Paladino fed a pass up to Ellyn Grant-Keane who knocked it home for the Bombers' first goal of the game. EC held tough as the possession control was fairly even. Ithaca led 1-0 at intermission.
The Purple and Gold came out of the second half gates picking up their intensity and looking to knot the game at one. Laura Bartus '13 (Suffield, CT – Williston Northampton) came up with a phenomenal shot off a free kick in the 52nd minute. Bartus lasered a shot off the restart from 25 yards out as it ricocheted off the right post across the goal and into the left corner of the net to tie the match at one.
Elmira continued to fight despite being outshot 19-5 in the second half, although a number of those shots were from long distance. Janine Swanson '14 (Rochester, NY – Nazareth Academy) had an inspiring performance for EC, as she was on the receiving end of four different shots but was unable to beat Bomber keeper Becca Salant. With just over four minutes remaining Ithaca converted the game-winner when Julie Winn played a perfect cross to beat the defense on a counterattack. Winn found Andi Roach who went 1-on-1 with Soaring Eagle goalkeeper Karissa Wilson '12 (Londonderry, NH – Londonderry). Roach banked her shot off the inside of the left post for the Bomber victory.
Wilson finished with nine saves in net for Elmira, while Salant made four stops for Ithaca. The Soaring Eagles return to action Tuesday when they host SUNY Geneseo at 3:00 p.m. on "Class of 2012 Recognition Day."
