ITHACA, N.Y. – An 8-0 scoring run that spanned most of the second and third quarters pushed Ithaca College to a 15-11 victory over No. 24 St. John Fisher on Friday evening at Higgins Stadium.
The Cardinals, who had won eight consecutive games, dropped to 10-4 overall with the non-league loss. Ithaca moved to 10-4 with the victory.
Junior Chelsea Lopata and sophomore Athena Lazina led the Cardinals' offensive attack with four points apiece. Lopata scored four goals, while Lazina found the back of the net three times and had an assist.
Ithaca's Lily Cody erupted for a game-high eight points, tallying four goals and four assists. Leigh Naturale scored twice and set up three other goals for five points, and Kelly Augeri tallied four points with two goals and two helpers. Aubrey Holowinski (two goals, one assist) and Kathryn Scallon (three goals) each amassed three points.
St. John Fisher goalkeeper Maggie Cross played the full 60 minutes and made 10 saves. Ithaca's Mikaela Dattilo stopped 11 shots.
How It Happened
The Cardinals could not have asked for a better start against a strong non-conference opponent on the road. After Ithaca went ahead 1-0 less than a minute in, St. John Fisher caught fire on the offensive end, building a four-goal lead with a 6-1 surge. Lopata, Lazina and senior Megan McGrath each scored twice in the first quarter, which the Cardinals ended leading 6-3.
Lazina made it a four-goal Fisher lead again early in the second quarter, but it was essentially all downhill from there for the Cardinals. The Bombers scored their eight unanswered goals after that, with six of those tallies coming over the final 12 minutes of the second quarter, to take an 11-7 lead. The Cardinals put an end to the run on a goal from senior Kaley Griffin late in the third quarter.
Fisher pulled within two three times in the fourth quarter but couldn't string goals together to mount a comeback. Cody and Naturale scored about 30 seconds apart in the final minute to put the game away for the Bombers.
Game Notes
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Lopata recorded her fifth game this season with four points or more.
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Lazina matched her career high with four points.
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McGrath, Griffin (one goal, one assist) and junior Ellie Leisen (two assists) finished with two points each.
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Senior Dharma Makarowsky scored her 27th goal of the season in the fourth quarter.
Up Next
The Cardinals resume Empire 8 Conference play against rival Nazareth at noon on Saturday at Growney Stadium.
