Score: Ithaca College 2 – Elmira College 1 (OT)
Records: Ithaca (5-7-2, 5-1 Empire 8), Elmira (6-5-4, 2-1-3 Empire 8)
Location: Carp Wood Field – Ithaca, NY
 
Ithaca, NY -- The Elmira College men's soccer team fell for the first time in Empire 8 Conference play on Saturday afternoon, falling in an overtime heartbreaker at Ithaca College 2-1. The loss drops Elmira to 2-1-3 in Empire 8 play, setting up a potential must-win scenario in the team's final conference game next weekend against St. John Fisher College.
 
It was a back-and-forth contest all afternoon at wind-whipped and frigid Carp Wood Field on Ithaca's South Hill. Momentum shifted in the home side's favor in the 86^th minute when Aidan Gray '19 was sent off with red card for a dangerous tackle, forcing Elmira down to 10-men for the duration of the contest.
 
The Bombers had several chances throughout the rest of regulation, but Elmira held strong to force overtime. Chris Thompson sent the home faithful home happy, tallying the game-winning golden-goal with 2:11 remaining in the first extra session. The striker made a desperate chase for a long ball down the left flank of the Elmira defense. Elmira keeper Austin Mansell '16 charged out of the net to try to corral the ball before it could be reached, but Thompson would just barely win the race, chipping the ball over the sprawling keeper towards goal. The ball had just enough momentum to cross the goal line, before it could be cleared by Elmira center back Rodney Smith '19.
 
Michael Bryant '17 continued his unbelievable run, tallying the Soaring Eagles lone goal in the contest. After Ithaca's Cody Kiss jettisoned the Bombers into the lead in the 18^th minute, Elmira's third-year striker equalized the score in the 21^st minute. Controlling possession deep in the Bomber end, Bryant was able to win a corner kick opportunity for Elmira. Chris Aristizabal '16 took the set piece, bending an arcing cross to the far post. Bryant skied to meet the ball with his head, sending a powerful header into the back netting to knot the score.
 
Elmira would come close to pulling ahead several times throughout the second half, but Ithaca keeper Zach Jacobsen would stand tall with five saves, setting the stage for the Bombers late-game heroics.
 
Turning Point
The game took a negative turn for the Soaring Eagles in the 86^th minute. Elmira possessed the ball around midfield, but a deflected pass rolled to the foot of Andrew Coburn who sprung into a quick counter down the left sideline. Elmira midfielder Aidan Gray '19 trailed the play and made an aggressive play to slide tackle from behind to try to neutralize the threat. He won the ball, but also got a lot of Cobrun's leg sending the Bomber midfielder to the turf. Gray was tabbed with a red card, sending Elmira down to 10-men for the duration of the contest. Ithaca used the man-power advantage to control possession for the rest of the contest, eventually resulting in Ithaca's game-winner.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Ithaca outshot Elmira 27-t0-15 in the contest; however, the team's finished tied with 10 shots on goal apiece.
• Playing with the extra player, the Bombers held a 4-0 edge in shots in the decisive overtime session.
• Ithaca held a 9-to-5 advantage in corner kick opportunities in the contest.
• Elmira keeper Mansell finished with seven saves in the contest.
• Ithaca's Zach Jacobsen finished with nine saves.
• Bryant finished with six shot attempts with five of those on target, both game-highs.
• Aristizabal finished with two shots, both on target, while notching his first assist of the season on Bryant's goal.
• Brandon Thompson led the Bombers with four shot attempts and two shots on goal.

 
News and Notes

• The loss snaps Elmira's nine-game unbeaten streak. It was the Soaring Eagles longest such streak since the 2011 season.
• With his 21^st minute tally, Bryant stretched his goal scoring streak to eight consecutive games, extending what was already the longest such streak of his career.
• Over Bryant's prolific eight-game run he has tallied 12 goals.
• Saturday's loss marked the first time this season that Elmira has lost following a tie this season. Elmira had been 3-0 in such situations this season prior to today's contest.
• With the goal, Bryant moved into a tie for second place with Joe Sears '98 in the program's single-season scoring list with 18 on the year, while he also moved into a tie for sixth place with Bob Barsamian '81 for single-season points with 39. He also moved into a tie with Antonello D'Attomo '97 for eighth on the program's career goal scoring list with 23.

 
Up Next
Elmira will return to action on Tuesday, October 27^th, when the team concludes its three-game road swing at King's College. Kickoff in Wilkes-Barre, PA, is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.