Ithaca Bows Out Of NCAA Tournament
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The No. 23 Ithaca College women's soccer team fell to No. 5 Williams in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, dropping a 4-1 decision to the host Ephs at Cole Field. The defeat ends the Bombers' 2014 campaign.
Junior goalkeeper
Beth Coppolecchia finished the game with a season-high 14 saves on 18 shots, while classmate
Sarah Woychick scored the lone Bomber goal. Williams led 25-10 in shots, while the Bombers held the 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
The Ephs scored the first goal of the contest in the 8th minute, converting on a through ball on the far side of the box. Williams scored again at 9:03, sending a shot just under the crossbar from the top of the box. Neither team scored again in the opening frame, sending the contest to the half with Williams holding a 2-0 lead.
The Ephs carried the momentum into the second, scoring two more goals in the first five minutes of play. Goals at 46:50 and 50:22 doubled Williams' lead, putting the score at 4-0.
The Bombers cut into the Ephs' lead in the 76th minute, putting the score at 4-1. Senior
Jessie Warren started the play, sending a pass to a streaking Woychick at the top of the box. Woychick settled the offering and fired, placing a shot to the top left corner for her ninth tally of the season.
Ithaca continued to pressure Williams for the remainder of the contest, collecting a number of quality scoring chances. Despite the shift in momentum, the Bombers were unable to score again, giving Williams the 4-1 win and the right to move on in the NCAA Tournament.
Ithaca ends the season
with a record of 15-4-1. The Bombers' win total is the fourth-straight season with 15 wins or more.
The Bombers also finished as co-champions of the Empire 8, the team's 10th conference championship. The game marks the final collegiate contest for Warren and fellow senior
Kelly Pantason.
Boxscore (HTML)