Bombers Edge Soaring Eagles in PK's to Advance to E8 Title Game
ITHACA, N.Y. - The top-seeded Ithaca College men's soccer team will make its second consecutive appearance in the Empire 8 Championship match as the Bombers advanced to the finals after holding off fourth-seeded Elmira College in a shootout on Friday at Ithaca's Carp Wood Field. The contest goes down as a draw for Ithaca, moving its season mark to 7-7-3 while Elmira's season comes to an end at 7-6-5.
After battling back-and-forth for much of regulation, the Bombers appeared to have the go-ahead goal late in the second frame after Sean Forward found the back of the net, but the goal would be disallowed after Ithaca was whistled for offsides.
After 90 minutes of scoreless play, both teams readied for overtime. In the first overtime period, both teams managed two shots, but neither found its mark forcing a second overtime period to be played.
In the game's final 10 minute session, Ithaca controlled the tempo, taking three shots in a span of two minutes, but the Soaring Eagles stood tall, turning aside each offering to keep the game at 0-0.
With no winner after 120 minutes of play, a shootout would be needed to decide the outcome. As had been the case throughout the game, neither team would give an inch as each scored on its first 10 attempts until Zach Jacobsen came up with a diving save on the Soaring Eagles' 11
th shot offering to give the Bombers an opportunity to win. Sam Boylan stepped into the box for Ithaca and deeked the opposing keeper before burying the game-winning goal to give tournament's top seed the victory.
Jacobsen, the reigning ECAC and Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week, collected his seventh win of the season after making four saves in 110 minutes of play.
Elmira keeper Austin Mansell made two saves.
Forward had six shots including two on goal while Joseph Dobbins took three shots.
As a team, Ithaca held a 17-14 advantage in shots and 9-7 in corner kick opportunities.
The Bombers will face the winner of the afternoon's second semifinal matchup between second-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology and third-seeded Houghton College at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday for the Empire 8 Championship.