The Emory University Women's Soccer Team, ranked second among NCAA Division III teams, suffered a rare setback on Saturday afternoon, falling 2-0 at ninth-ranked Ithaca College.

The loss was the first of the season for the Eagles, who dropped to 2-1-0 on the campaign.  Ithaca raised its season ledger to 3-0-0 with the win.

Emory had the early momentum in the contest, taking the first three shots of the game, but the tide quickly turned in the Bombers favor in the 15^th minute, when Ithaca's Kelsey King scored her third goal of the season off an assist from Meredith Jones to give her squad a 1-0 lead.

Ithaca added to its lead with a second goal late in the first half, as Jess Demczar scored her first of the season in the 43^rd minute to give the Bombers a 2-0 advantage heading into halftime.

Emory's defense played a stronger second half in front of sophomore keeper Liz Arnold, who played the final 45 scoreless minutes of action and made one save.  However, Ithaca, which finished the 2012 season ranked third in team goals-against average, held the Eagles off the board as well, and preserved the 2-0 shutout victory.

Junior starting goalkeeper Gabrielle Pelura took the loss, falling to 1-1-0 on the season, while Beth Coppolecchia earned the shutout win in the net for Ithaca, improving to 3-0-0.

Despite taking the loss, Emory finished even with Ithaca in shots, with each team registering 11 apiece.  Emory managed a pair of shots on goal, while the Bombers placed four on frame, including the two goals.  Seniors Clare Mullins and Kelly Costopoulos and freshman Emily Matis each had a pair of shots during the game.

The loss was just the Emory's second regular-season setback in the last three years, and the team's first regular season loss to a non-conference opponent in their last 36 such games, dating back to a 2-1 loss to Berry College on October 22^nd, 2009.

The Eagles were the second top-two women's soccer team to fall this week, joining top-ranked Messiah, which dropped a 2-1 decision to seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday.

The Eagles will look to bounce back from the defeat when they wrap-up their weekend with an 11:00 AM contest at SUNY Cortland (1-1-0), the 18th-ranked team in the NSCAA's preseason poll, on Sunday.