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Utica, NY -- The Elmira College women's basketball team (8-2, 3-0 E8) used a 14-2 run midway through the second half to seal their seventh win in a row and third consecutive Empire 8 Conference win, defeating Utica College (4-7, 0-3 E8) 66-58 on the road. With the 8-2 record, the women stand one win shy of tying the best start in recent history, a 9-2 mark achieved by both the 1997-98 and 1998-99 teams. The seven-game win streak is also the longest win streak since the 2006-07 Soaring Eagles put together a 13-game stretch.
The Soaring Eagles trailed for nearly the entire first half after Utica broke an early 2-2 tie. The Pioneers would stretch out their lead to seven points on a few occasions, the last of which came with 7:52 remaining in the opening half when the score was 25-18. From that point on, the EC women would rally to tie the game after a 7-0 run, capped off by a layup from the Empire 8's leading scorer,
Jessica Zoltowski '14. The final basket of the first half was a three-pointer by the Pioneers that gave Utica the three-point advantage as the women went to the locker room.
The Purple and Gold continued to trail in the second half, but kept the game close as the two sides traded baskets. A Calypso Carty jumper gave Utica a 39-33 advantage, their largest lead of the second half, but the Soaring Eagles responded with a quick 6-0 run to tie the game at 39 apiece with 11:10 on the clock. That 6-0 run would kick off the 14-2 run that would put the game in EC's control.
Maria Thannhauser '14 continued the scoring and gave EC their first lead of the game on the next possession while a pair of free throws shortly after from Zoltowski broke a 41-41 tie and put the Purple and Gold in front for good. Thannhauser would cap off the 14-2 run with a jumper to put Elmira up 47-41 with just under eight minutes to play.
Utica would cut the game to a single point twice, at 51-50 and again at 53-52, but the Soaring Eagles would not relinquish the lead. EC held the Pioneers scoreless for almost two minutes, from the 3:50 mark to the 1:59 mark, as the women opened up a 59-52 edge. Utica tried to get back into the game but the Purple and Gold would hit their free throws down the stretch to seal the 66-58 victory.
Zoltowski led all scorers with 25 points on an efficient 8-16 shooting. She also secured her third double-double of the season by grabbing 11 rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end. Thannhauser was the only other Soaring Eagle in double figures as the senior chipped in 14 points and also contributed three steals, which tied a team high.
EC was stout defensively as the women held the Pioneers to 21.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc and forced 27 Utica turnovers, including 13 steals, which led to 28 Elmira points.
The Soaring Eagles will look to make it eight in a row tomorrow, January 11th as the women travel to Alfred University for an Empire 8 matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
