ITHACA, NY – For the second straight game, and the third time this season, the University of Rochester field hockey offense was held in check, falling by a 1-0 score to host Ithaca College on Saturday afternoon at Higgins Stadium in a Liberty League matchup.
 
Rochester's loss was the teams first in Liberty League play, with the Yellowjackets moving to 11-4 overall and 2-1 in conference. Ithaca, meanwhile, improves to 9-4 overall on the season and levels its record in the Liberty League to 2-2.
 
The Bomber defense was strong all afternoon, combining to hold Rochester to just four shot attempts in the game, and only two of which were on goal. Kristina Fedorova led the 'Jackets with three shots, while Erin Foley had the other.
 
Ithaca's game-winning goal came early in the fourth quarter with Audrey McMahon connecting on a 6-yard slap shot off a cross from the right endline by Payton Yahner. The goal seemed to catch the 'Jacket defense and goalkeeper Kara Houston by surprise, with the ball slotting in perfectly to the low left corner of the cage.
 
McMahon's goal was her team-leading fifth of the season, and her first game-winning goal of the 2025 campaign. Yahner's assist was her fourth, tying for the Ithaca team lead. Goalkeeper Maeve Clark picked up the shutout win, making two saves for the Bombers.
 
In the UR goal, Houston finished with six saves in the loss.
 
Ithaca's opening shot of the first quarter came in the sixth minute and was a good look off a penalty corner. After some back-and-forth passing, the ball ended on the stick of Abby Hennessy for an open shot from 5-yards out along the right wing. Houston was unobstructed on her view of the shot and was able to make the save on the lone shot of goal of the frame.
 
Early in the second, Houston came up with three saves in the opening two minutes to keep the game scoreless. After a long hit in was deflected by a URochester stick and kicked away, the senior keeper was forced to make back-to-back saves on the ensuing penalty corner. The first was a traditional kick save to deny Brooke Snider, but the second was a jumping save with the blocker on Snider's follow attempt with a lifted shot.
 
The second frame proved to be the Yellowjackets best quarter offensively, with three shots attempted.
 
In the 23rd minute, UR got its first corner of the game, with that ending in a Fedorova shot wide from the right wing at the edge of the circle.
 
Five minutes later, the Yellowjackets earned another corner, one that yielded two shots on goal. Fedorova started the play with a blast that was saved by Clark, with Foley being denied on a rebound attempt from in close on the left side.
 
A defensive battle in the third quarter saw just two shots total, one by each side, with the Yellowjackets earning the only corner attempt in that period.
 
The fourth quarter started with the goal for the Bombers and the Ithaca defense combined to hold URochester without a shot the rest of the way, holding on for the one-goal victory.
 
Ithaca's victory over Rochester is the fourth straight for the Bombers in the all-time series, with Ithaca leading 29-16 now in 45 meetings. A one-goal margin has happened five times in the last seven matchups between Rochester and Ithaca, with the Bombers winning four of those.
 
Up next for the Yellowjackets is a home matchup next Friday against conference-leading Vassar at 4 p.m.