Highlighting the day were strong performances from both the attack and defensive corps, while IC's midfield gave the Warriors fits throughout the afternoon. The Bombers finished with healthy leads in shot attempts 48-to-31, while it won 20-of-29 faceoffs in the contest. Eight IC players found the back of the net in the contest, while 10 players recorded at least one point in the game. Defensively, Ithaca had five players record at least one caused turnover, amassing 14 as a unit in the game.
It was actually a newcomer to the squad that paced the scoring for Ithaca on the day. Sophomore transfer Ryan Ozsvath, who arrived from NCAA Division I Stony Brook University, put on a show in his IC debut. He led all players with five goals in the contest. Ozsvath scored three first-half tallies, while he registered two more in the third quarter, as IC pulled well-ahead of Lycoming.
Also having big offensive games for the Bombers were senior attacker Jake Cotton and junior midfielder Josh Della Puca. Cotton netted a hat-trick, finishing off his three-goal night with 12:32 remaining in the game. The effort brought the senior within one point of the 200-milestone for his career. Della Puca was all over the field, scoring four times and adding an assist to equal Ozsvath with five points on the day.
Registering three-point games for IC were a pair of wing players in senior Stephen Morrell and freshman Connor Brumfield. Each player tallied one goal and two assists on the day. Junior attacker Will Witter, sophomore attacker Tyler Krampf and junior mid Brendan King each added one goal to round out the scoring for IC. Junior midfielder added two helpers in the contest.
Defensively, Ithaca put on a clinic, although Lycoming was able to tally five second-half goals with the Bombers cycling players throughout the lineup. Sophomore Aaron McCartney hampered the Warriors throughout the day, registering a career-high five caused turnovers and six ground-balls in dominant display by the second-year talent. Junior Sean Seaberg added four caused turnovers and a ground-ball from his long-stick midfield role, while senior Keith Morrissey amassed three caused turnovers and three ground-balls, as well as an assist on Ozsvath's fifth and final tally of the day. Freshman Jake Hall-Goldman also held up well in his first collegiate start. He posted one caused turnover and three ground-balls in significant action.
Behind the defense, sophomore keeper Robby Atwood played well in his first look as the team's primary net-minder. He made 10 saves, while allowing only six of Lycoming's eight goals at even strength. He played the entire 60 minutes to improve his record to 1-0 on the year.
Ithaca's most dominant advantage over Lycoming was in the center circle. Senior faceoff specialist Steven Landspurg had an excellent day, winning 16-of-19 draws and racking up nine ground-balls on the day to ensure IC held the lion's share of possession. Freshman Connor Till also saw some significant action in the circle, scoring wins four wins in 10 total attempts.
The Bombers gained the upper hand quickly in today's contest, scoring five times in the opening 11:21 to gain separation from Lycoming early. Ozsvath kicked off a three-goal surge in the opening five minutes of play, tallying the Bombers' first goal of 2018 at 12:28. Receiving a pass from Morrell at the left wing, the sophomore transfer ticketed a laser from a sharp angle into the top right corner of the cage to make the score 1-0. Della Puca doubled the advantage just 17-seconds later, beating Lycoming keeper Michael Tennant five-hole from in close. IC's junior mid added his second goal of the day 1:46 later, finishing off a nice run down the left flank.
IC continued to challenge Tennant into the top-right corner that Ozsvath picked during the opening scoring barrage as the quarter continued. Cotton wired home his first of the season from the left flank at 7:43, while Morrell beat Tennant in a similar spot at 3:39 to cap the 5-0 run to begin the game.
Although Lycoming was able to break the shutout with 2:08 to go in the first, IC added two more goals to take a 7-1 lead through 15 minutes. Brumfield registered his first collegiate goal, netting a goal from in close. King capped the first-quarter scoring with 15-seconds left in the period, finishing off an excellent pass from Crosson that was perfectly placed to King as he sliced through the Lycoming defense.
The second quarter was the Ozsvath show, as he put the bookend on the quarter with his second and third goals of the game. He jump started the scoring in the frame 59-seconds in, labeling a shot from the left side into the twine. Later, he notched his hat trick with 2:12 to go in the half, scoring off the rush to make the score 11-3. In between, Witter and Della Puca added goals of their, the latter also registering a hat-trick in the first half.
With things well in-hand, Ithaca continued to push the pace during the second session. Once again it was Ozsvath that got things started out of the break, as he scored again cutting down the left wing just 38-seconds into the half. His fifth goal of the day came roughly 10-minutes later, as Morrissey started the sequence by picking off a pass in the defensive third, sprinted down the field and found Ozsvath at the left post for another transition strike. Cotton and Della Puca each added goals during the third frame, pushing the Bombers' advantage as wide as 15-4.
Cotton and Krampf provided the goal scoring for IC in the final frame. The senior attacker netted his third of the day 2:28 into the final frame, scoring off faceoff transition, as Brumfield and Cotton worked a quick passing play in front of goal. Krampf scored his goal on a quick exchange as well, gathering a rebound off a saved shot by the Bombers' Dan Lee and sending a shot inside the left post.
Ithaca returns to action next Wednesday, March 7, when it continues its two-game homestand to begin the season. IC will play host to Oswego State in a 4:00 p.m. start at Higgins Stadium.
