ROCHESTER, NY -- The RIT (3-1, 0-1 Liberty League) women's lacrosse team suffered its first loss of the season with a 19-8 defeat by No. 11 Ithaca College (3-0, 1-0 Liberty League) in the Liberty League opener for both teams Wednesday afternoon.

Shots were 36-20 in favor of Ithaca, while the Tigers won 15-of-29 draw controls. The Bombers won the ground ball battle 17-9, and the Tigers went 12-of-15 on clearing attempts.

Junior attack Olivia Africa (Syracuse, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) led RIT with three goals and two assists, while senior Alanna Fallone (Penfield, NY/Penfield) tallied four goals. Sophomore Baylee West (Hummelstown, PA/Hershey) won six draw controls, and senior goalie Paulina Goodermote (Rochester, NY/Churchville-Chili) took the loss in net for the Tigers, making 13 saves.

Jacqui Hallack and Megan Motkowski lead Ithaca with five goals apiece, while Alexa Ritchie finished with three goals. Mackenzie Schade got the win in net for the Bombers, making five saves in the first half.

Ithaca jumped out to an 8-0 first-half lead. Africa broke the Bombers run with her goal off an assist from Kayleigh Ground (Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon) midway through the half. Fallone scored three times in the first half, including two straight at the end of the half to cut Ithaca's lead to 12-5 at halftime.

The Bombers scored seven goals in the second half, while Fallone, Africa and Myranda D'Antico (Townsend, MA/North Middlesex Regional) each scored for the Tigers to make it a 19-8 final.

These same two teams will play again on Saturday, March 27, at 2 p.m. in Ithaca, N.Y.