ITHACA, N.Y. – The Skidmore College women's lacrosse team fought hard with No. 19 Ithaca, but fell by a 12-9 score in the season opener Saturday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds drop to 0-1 while Ithaca, the 19th-ranked team in the preseason Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) polls, improves to 1-0.
 

Cas Szwajkowski picked up where she left off last season, scoring six goals to lead the Thoroughbreds. Natalie LaBeau tallied a goal and added an assist, while Allison Byrne and Amanda Orvis also scored. On the defensive end, Rachel Talanian picked up eight ground balls and won five draw controls and Gianna Muscari caused three turnovers. Megan Kolopsky stopped two shots in the first 30 minutes of play, giving way to Caroline Kenlon, who stopped five shots in her collegiate debut.

Ally Runyon scored four goals for the Bombers, and Allison Panara tallied five points on two goals and three assists. Kimberly Presuto tallied four saves in the second half to earn the victory.

It was a back-and-forth matchup between the Thoroughbreds and the Bombers in the first half. Szwajkowski got things going with the opening goal in the game's first minute, as Skidmore and Ithaca exchanged goals in the first 7:22 of gametime. Ithaca scored twice to pull to a 5-3 lead, but a pair of Szwajkowski goals, including one off an Ithaca turnover with six seconds left, led to a 5-5 score at the half.

Each time Ithaca threatened to pull away in the second half, Skidmore clawed back to tie things up. After a LeBeau goal tied things up at eight with 17:17 to go, Ithaca took the lead for good just over a minute later, on a Gaby Berne goal. The Bombers outscored the Thoroughbreds 3-1 over the last 12 minutes of play to pick up the hard-fought victory.

Ithaca tallied a 33-23 advantage on shots and had a 9-2 advantage on free-position shots. Skidmore edged Ithaca with a 12-11 advantage on draw controls.

Skidmore returns to Saratoga Springs for the home opener against Babson next Saturday at 2 p.m., while Ithaca faces St. Lawrence in Canton, N.Y. next Saturday at 1 p.m.