Score: #12 Ithaca College 19 – Elmira College 4
Records: Ithaca (12-3, 6-1 E8), Elmira (1-11, 1-6 E8)
Location: Higgins Field – Ithaca, N.Y.
 
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's lacrosse team faced its second straight nationally-ranked opponent, as the Soaring Eagles made the short trip up Route 13 to face the No. 12-ranked Bombers of Ithaca College. A strong first quarter by the Bombers paved the way for a 19-4 victory for the home team.
 
Ithaca rattled off nine consecutive goals to open this afternoon's Empire 8 Conference contest, before Elmira's Nevin Olney '18 found the back of the cage with 3:49 on the first-quarter clock. It marked the 16th goal of the season for the third-year attacker. Following Olney's goal, the Bombers went on a 7-0 run that bridged the first and second quarters to take a hefty 16-1 lead.
 
Senior Anthony LaRusso '17 ended the Ithaca run with back-to-back unassisted goals in the final minute of the opening half, as the product of North Conway, New Hampshire, tallied at the 59- and 48-second marks. The two goals from LaRusso set up a mini 3-0 run for the Soaring Eagles, as second-year defender Kevin Schutt '19 found the back of the cage just 10 seconds into the third quarter to trim the Bomber lead to 16-4. The tally was Schutt's first of the 2017 season.
 
Unfortunately for the Soaring Eagles, closing the gap to 12 goals was as close as they would get, as the national-ranked Bombers held Elmira scoreless for the remainder of regulation and tacked on three insurance goals to march away with a 19-4 win.
 
Turning Point
Ithaca began today's contest by winning the first eight faceoffs, which helped the home squad control the tempo and get into their offense much more frequently than the Soaring Eagles. Those eight faceoff wins allowed the Bombers to outshoot EC 15-to-0 in the opening 7:06 of the game, resulting in an insurmountable 8-0 lead for Ithaca midway through the quarter.  
 
Inside the Box Score

• Ithaca held a 46-to-25 advantage in shots and a 27-to-16 lead in shots on goal.
• Elmira committed 20 turnovers, while Ithaca totaled 21.
• EC went 16-for-26 on clear attempts and Ithaca was 16-for-18.
• Ground balls finished in favor of Ithaca, 46-to-37.
• Ithaca won the faceoff battle, 18-to-9.
• Elmira went 0-for-2 on extra-man opportunities, while Ithaca was 1-for-1.
• LaRusso led EC with two points on two goals, both of which came in the second quarter.
• Schutt and Olney added one goal apiece for Elmira.
• All four of Elmira's goals were unassisted.
• Mike Chaderjian '19 started in net for Elmira and made six saves in 15 minutes of action.
• Wyatt Katsos '17 came in for relief duty and stopped two shots in 45 minutes of work.

 
News and Notes

• With two goals this afternoon, LaRusso took over as Elmira's leading goal scorer (17).
• Schutt scored his first goal of the 2017 season.
• Chaderjian increased his season-save total to 51.

 
Up Next
Elmira concludes the 2017 season this Saturday, April 29, with an Empire 8 matchup against the Pioneers of Utica College. The league tilt is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at EC's Campus Field, and prior to the contest, Elmira will honor its graduating members of the Class of 2017.