Elmira College (6-4-4, 2-0-3 Empire 8) vs. Ithaca College (4-7-2, 4-1-0 Empire 8)
Saturday, October 24, 2015 | 12:00 P.M. | Carp Wood Field – Ithaca, NY
Live Coverage
 
Elmira, NY -- All eyes around the Empire 8 Conference will be focused on this Saturday's October 24th matchup between the Elmira College men's soccer team and Ithaca College. Saturday's conference bout, which is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at Ithaca's Carp Wood Field, features two of the top four teams in the conference standings and its outcome will more than likely shape the tournament field as well as seeding.
 
Last Time Out
Elmira is coming off a 1-1 double overtime tie against SUNY New Paltz. Michael Bryant '17 scored his conference-leading 17th goal of the season on an assist from John Broyles '19 in the 48th minute of Tuesday's game, which broke a 0-0 tie at the time. The Soaring Eagles maintained its one-goal advantage up until the 89th minute, when EC was called for a foul in their own box, resulting in a New Paltz penalty kick. Jason Gonzalez would deliver the game-tying goal on the penalty kick, as the game ended in a 1-1 double overtime draw.
 
Bryant Moves Up in Record Books
With a goal in yesterday's tie, Bryant moved up in the EC record books in several categories. His 17 season goals put him in a two-way tie for third place in EC history for most goals in a season. The goal also upped his season point total to 37, putting him in a three-way tie for seventh place in EC single-season history. Additionally, Bryant moved into ninth place in program history for career goals at 22.
 
Broyles Comes into Form
Rookie midfielder Broyles has been a key piece in Elmira's offense over the last few games, as the Rochester, NY native has two assists in EC's last three contests. Broyles has four assists on the season, which are the most by an EC rookie in the last three years. His four assists are tied for seventh place in the Empire 8 Conference, making him the only rookie in the conference to rank inside the Top-10 in that statistical category.
 
Soaring Eagle Bounce Back
One thing has been consistent this year for Elmira and that is they are a resilient bunch. The Soaring Eagles are 3-0-0 in games following a tie this year, as compared to last year's 0-2-0 mark. In Elmira's three wins following ties this year, the Purple and Gold have outscored their opponents 9-to-4 and have scored exactly three goals in each of the three games.
 
Nine Games, Zero Losses
The Soaring Eagles enter Saturday's contest with the Bombers on a nine-game unbeaten streak, EC's longest such streak since 2011. During Elmira's nine-game run, the Purple and Gold have outscored their opponents 23-to-14 with one shutout win and two one-goal victories.
 
Series History
Ithaca has enjoyed the majority of success in the all-time series against Elmira, as the Bombers have won 21-of-26 meetings. However, the Soaring Eagles have seen better results against the Bombers in recent history with a 3-2 record in their last five contests. The outcome in four of the last five meetings were been decided by one goal. Elmira's last win against Ithaca dates back to the 2013 season, when Bryant scored the lone goal in a 1-0 shutout of the Bombers on the road.
 
Scouting the Bombers
Ithaca enters Saturday's contest with a 4-7-2 overall record, which can be misleading to most, as the Bombers sit atop the Empire 8 Conference standings with a 4-1-0 league record. The Bombers are riding a three-game unbeaten streak and are 2-0-1 during that stretch. Ithaca is led offensively by Brandon Thompson, who has 13 points on six goals and one assist this year. Thompson's six goals occurred in six different games, with Ithaca going 4-2-0 in those contests. Defensively, Zach Jacobsen has been a mainstay between the posts with 70 saves and a solid 1.32 goals against average.