Box Score Box Score
TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Rachael Palladino netted a pair of goals and senior Jessica Platt stopped two shots as Ithaca College defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 3-0, in non-conference action at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the 11th-ranked Bombers improve to 12-3-1, while the Engineers drop to 4-11-2. It was the regular season finale for both teams.
After a slow start to the opening half, the visiting Bombers broke open the game as sophomore Rachael Palladino (Lansing, NY/Lansing) scored a pair of goals less than two minutes apart for a 2-0 advantage.
Palladino's first goal came in the 31st minute after she picked up a loose ball around eight-yards out and sent a high shot into the far corner. Bombers' midfielder Meredith Jones (Lower Gwynedd, PA/Gwynedd Mercy Academy) brought the ball in down the right side, which was crossed into the middle. It caromed off an RPI defender for Palladino, who fired it in.
Graduate student Liz Masucci (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) helped set up Palladino's second goal as she carried the ball down the left side and sent a short pass up to sophomore Caroline Jastremski (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy).
Jastremski turned, crossing the ball into the middle to Palladino, who settled it and turned to fire the shot past a diving Stephanie Vargas (Fogelsville, PA/Allentown Central Catholic).
The homestanding Engineers had their chances in the first half, including an attempt by rookie Giana Abballe (Old Tappan, NJ/Northern Valley Regional), who collected a cross from classmate Sam Lamorte (Pawling, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes), but was too deep near the corner of the goal to get a shot off.
In the second half of action, RPI came out firing as sophomore Nikki Goodsell (Danbury, CT/Danbury) attempted to set up rookie Sara Rothschild (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) for a header, but her shot went wide. Goodsell was unable to set up any of her teammates on the ensuing corner kick.
Ithaca wrapped up the scoring in the 70th minute as Palladino came down the left flank, sent a shot in that Vargas stopped. The keeper was unable to control the rebound which came out to freshman Ellyn Grant-Keane (Lansing, NY/Lansing). She battled an RPI defender at the goal mouth and tapped it in.
RPI, which saw Vargas stop seven shots in the loss, concluded its season with today's contest, while the Bombers will play in the semifinals of the Empire 8 Tournament on Saturday (1:30pm).
