YORK, PA -- York (Pa.) outlasted Ithaca 14-12 in a back-and-forth non-conference contest on a sunny, yet brisk Saturday afternoon.
The Spartans, who are ranked ninth in the nation, improve to 3-1 overall while the Bombers, who are ranked 20th in the country, fall to 0-2.
Junior Sarah Castle started the Spartans off right with a goal just 1:05 into the game. Ithaca tied the game eight minutes later on a Natalie Lang goal. Senior Jenna Hiponia put York back in front with a free position goal at the 15:48 mark of the first half.
The Bombers answered with a pair of goals as Delaney Gilson and Emily Peters found the back of the net. The Green and White responded with two goals of their own as Kerri Nicolich and Hiponia picked up goals for York. Continuing the pattern of trading the lead, Ithaca received a goal from another Gilson followed by an Ally Runyon goal as the Bombers took a 5-4 lead with 1:42 left before intermission.
Senior Erica Mulford got into the scoring act with 13 seconds left in the stanza as she blistered a shot into the back of the net, tying the game at five. The first half featured five ties and the second half would be much of the same.
The Bombers tallied the first two goals of the second half to take a 7-5 less than five minutes into the frame. York answered with goals from Castle and Mulford as the game was tied for a sixth time with 23:11 left. The Bombers would take their final lead of the game on a Riley Marion tally just a minute later. Senior Melissa Ritchey tied the game for the seventh, and final time, with her fourth goal of the year with just more than 20 minutes left in the game.
Ritchey's goal kick started a four-goal spurt for the Spartans as the York lead grew to 11-8. Runyon scored to halt the Spartans run but York picked up three of the next four goals including a pair from sophomore Bri Boyer as the Spartan lead grew to 14-10.
The Bombers made the game close at the end as Runyon and Marion scored, trimming the York lead to two goals but the Spartans were able to close out their third win of the year.
