Poughkeepsie, NY – Tess Billings (Deerfield, IL) scored four times and
Emilia DiLiberto (Allison Park, PA) totaled five points as the Vassar College Women's Lacrosse team scored a hard fought 12-11 win over #19 Ithaca Friday afternoon. Friday's win marks the first win over a ranked opponent since the Brewers topped #17 Ithaca on April 8, 2023.
Friday's win pushes Vassar to 9-3 overall on the season and to 4-3 in Liberty League play, while the Bombers slip to 8-5 overall and 5-3 against conference opponents.
How It Happened
- Vassar stifled Ithaca in the opening 30 minutes, allowing just one goal prior to halftime.
- The Brewers opened a 2-0 lead when Billings and DiLiberto scored back-to-back goals just 14 seconds apart in the middle stages of the first period.
- Ithaca cut the deficit in half late in the first quarter with a Leigh Naturale tally that made the score 2-1 through 15 minutes.
- Vassar scored the only goal of the second frame, with Sigrid Fredlund (Seattle, WA) finishing off a feed from Reilly Mulcahy (Arlington, VA) at the 12:27 mark to give Vassar a 3-1 lead heading into the intermission.
- After halftime, Ithaca came out with the first two goals of the third frame, getting a player-up goal from Elizabeth Green and a tally from Lily Cody at the 8:24 mark of the third quarter to even the score at 3-3.
- Vassar would score two of the next three goals before Cody tallied two straight for the Bombers to give them their first lead of the game at 6-5 with 13:19 left to play in regulation.
- Ithaca opened its largest lead of the game, pulling front 8-6, on back-to-back goals from Green and Kelly Argeri with 8:24 left to play.
- Vassar responded with five of the next six goals in the game, including three straight from Billings in a span of 51 seconds, to surge back in front 9-8.
- Back-to-back markers from DiLiberto pushed Vassar in front 11-9 before Mulcahy scored what proved to be the game winner with 51 seconds left to play.
- Hayley Armstrong brought Ithaca within 12-11 in the final minute and the Bombers won the final draw control, but turned the ball over in the closing seconds.
For The Brewers
- DiLIberto finished a big day with four goals and five points to go along with a groundball and nine draw controls.
- Billings potted four goals and won a pair of draw controls for the Brewers.
- Mulcahy scored twice, including the game winning goal, and assisted on two other goals.
- Amelia Poirier (Atherton, CA) closed a three-point day with a goal and two helpers to go along with two groundballs and two caused turnovers.
- Kali Ringler (North Andover, MA) forced a pair of miscues, including one in the final seconds of regulation, and collected a pair of groundballs.
- Bree MacMullen (Medford, NJ) earned the win in goal with 11 saves to go along with two caused turnovers and four groundballs.
For The Bombers
- Cody finished the day with three goals and four points, adding two groundballs and two draw controls.
- Augeri scored twice and assisted on two goals.
- Green tallied twice for Ithaca, caused two turnovers and won four draw controls.
- Naturale finished with a goal and an assist to go along with a pair of draws.
- Kaitlyn Russell forced two turnovers and collected a pair of groundballs.
- Mikaela Dattilo suffered the loss in goal after making 12 saves.
Game Statistics
- Ithaca finished the game with a slim 27-26 advantage in overall shots while Vassar held a 24-22 edge in shots on goal.
- Vassar won the draw control battle, 16-11.
- Groundballs went to the Bombers, 18-16.
- Vassar was an efficient 14-for-16 in clearing chances.
- Ithaca finished 19-for-23 in clears.
What's Next
- Vassar plays host to RPI Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.
- Ithaca heads to Bard on Saturday.
