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ROCHESTER, NY – Kurt Odenbach's goal in the fifth minute lifted Ithaca to a 1-0 win over the RIT men's soccer team on Saturday afternoon at RIT Field in a crucial Empire 8 showdown.

 

With the win, Ithaca improved to 8-4-1 and 2-2-1 in Empire 8 play, one point ahead of the Tigers, who fell to 8-6-1 and 2-3-0 in conference.

 

Both teams are right back in action on Sunday, as the Tigers host Elmira at 1 p.m., while the Bombers travel to Nazareth to play the Golden Flyers at the same time.

Odenbach scored the only goal of the contest off a set piece. John Tarson took an indirect free kick from the right of the Tiger net about 15-yards out. Tarson's pass found a streaking Odenbach right in the middle of the box, and Odenbach made no mistake, ripping a shot past Alan Smith (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor) (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor).

 

RIT out-shot Ithaca 6-3 over the first 45 minutes, even though the Bombers dominated the first 15 minutes of play.

 

Mark Frisicano (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) had RIT's best scoring chance of the half, as he streaked in alone from 35-yards in. Unfortunately for RIT, an Ithaca defender caught Frisicano just as he released his shot from 15-yards out, blocking the ball out of play.

 

Ithaca's defense allowed very little over the first 30 minutes of the second stanza, as the Bombers were content to sit back and protect its lead.

 

Smith made a huge save on a shot by Tarson with just under 18 minutes left to keep the score 1-0, diving to his left to keep Tarson's low shot out.

 

Frisicano ripped a shot from 20-yards out with 12 minutes left that was gobbled up by Ithaca goalkeeper Andy Wilhelm. It was Wilhelm's lone save of the day.

 

From there, RIT applied plenty of pressure, but could not get the equalizer.

Chris Somers (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) crossed a shot from the left of the box in the final minute that somehow found its way through a maze of bodies in front, but could not be deflected in.

 

Both teams had 11 shots on goal.