ROCHESTER, NY – The No. 15 RIT women's soccer team (9-2-2) was defeated by Ithaca College (7-3-1) by a score of 2-1 in non-conference action from a sun-drenched Tiger Stadium on Sunday. Ithaca's Holly Niemiec scored the game winner with 49 seconds to play in regulation.

Shots were 14-9 in favor of RIT, with each team taking five corner kicks. Sienna Fisher (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg Area) got the start for RIT, playing the first 45 minutes and making one save. Kelly Rogers (Ardmore, PA/Haverford) played the second half and took the loss, making two saves. Beth Coppolecchia got the win for the Bombers, making six saves.

Ithaca took a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute on Niemiec's first of two goals on the day. Off an Ithaca corner kick, Niemiec took a shot from the top of the RIT penalty box that beat Fisher over her head and into the far post.

The Bombers had a great chance to make it 2-0 when Megan Nash had a partial break on net. Her shot was headed for the far corner, this time, Fisher was able to tip the shot over the cross bar and out of harms way.

RIT had a good chance in the middle of the opening half when Ithaca's defense had a lapse of communication allowing Emily Thiel (Seattle, WA/Roosevelt) to take a low shot that Coppolecchia was able to sprawl and make the save.

Ithaca had another good chance late in the half when Fisher came off her line to break up a service. Nash got to the ball first and sent a ball into the RIT penalty box. Emily Shoemaker (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) tracked back and broke up the pass before a shot was attempted. Lauren Charles finally cleared the ball out of the box, keeping the game 1-0 at the half.
 
RIT had a good chance early in the second half on a corner kick by Courtney Hunt (Brockport, NY/Brockport). Her ball in found Thiel at the back post. She tried to back-heel a shot from close range, but Coppolecchia was able to make the save.

Maxine Culhane (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) had a great chance when Quincey Ornellas (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark) played a through-ball to Culhane. The Ithaca defense got back just before Culhane could get a clean shot on net.

The Tigers finally broke through in the 57th minute on a goal from Elizabeth May (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland). She worked the give-and-go with Culhane perfectly, taking the shot first time and scoring into the top corner for her fourth of the season.

Later in the half, Shoemaker sent a long throw into the Ithaca penalty area. Thiel got a foot on the loose ball, but Coppolecchia made the save. The ball rattled around loose inside the Ithaca box before being cleared away.

RIT had a flurry of activity in the final moments of regulation. May sent in a service into the Ithaca box. Once again, the ball rattled around inside the 18-yard box. Thiel had a chance that was saved and Culhane had a chance that was blocked off the line and out of harm's way.
 
The Bombers came right down the field and scored when a ball deflected right Niemiec who poised at the top of the RIT penalty box. She fired a shot from distance that beat Rogers into the top right corner.

RIT also hosted a clothing drive on Sunday to benefit the St. Joe's Hospitality House in Rochester. The Tigers took donations of winter clothing, including coats, hats, scarves and gloves to donate to St. Joe's.

RIT returns to action on Friday, Oct. 16 when the Tigers face Liberty League rival Bard College at 4 p.m. in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.