Box Score

Hoboken, NJ -- With just two games remaining in the regular season, all the Elmira College women's basketball team had to do was win one game and they would be in the Empire 8 tournament for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Soaring Eagles were clinging to a one-point lead over Stevens Tech with just 1:55 to play, but a late basket by the Ducks gave Stevens the 60-59 win. Karli Pochkar '16 had a great look at the rim with two seconds remaining, but her jumper rolled off the rim as time expired.

Stevens took control of the game early on as the Ducks scored nine of the first 11 points to take a 9-2 lead. But EC would settle in and eventually take their first lead of the night after Pochkar completed the old-fashioned three-point play with 5:27 left in the first half. The lead would trade hands another four times and be tied twice over the final five-plus minutes as the Soaring Eagles would take a 31-30 lead into the locker rooms.

Knowing that their playoff lives hung in the balance, the Purple and Gold came out of the locker rooms strong, but the Ducks refused to go down easy as they wanted to pick up a win on their senior night. The intensity showed early in the second half as there were eight lead changes as the two teams just traded baskets back and forth.

EC finally took the lead, and control of the game, with 15:04 left in regulation after Pochkar made a layup in the paint. The Soaring Eagles continued to build their lead as Jessica Zoltowski '14 started to get things going offensively. The senior had 12 points in the second half and chipped in another two assists to help grow Elmira's advantage to eight points with 10:30 to play.

The Purple and Gold continued to lead for much of the final 10-plus minutes of the second half, but Stevens started to make their run with about three minutes to play. A layup from Zoltowski gave EC a 59-54 edge with 2:33 to play, but those would be the final points the Soaring Eagles would score.

Still clinging to a one-point lead with one minute to play, a pass from Alex Balara'15 got tipped and stolen near the three-point line. Stevens' Avis Benjamin raced down the court for the go-ahead layup with 53 seconds remaining. EC had another chance to take the lead but Liz Forrest '14 missed a jumper and Elmira was forced to foul.

Stevens' Molly Spadaro came up short on both of her free throw attempts, including an air ball on her second try, giving EC the ball back, trailing by one, with 14 seconds to play. The Soaring Eagles had two good looks at the rim with the clock ticking down, but neither was able to fall as Elmira lost the heartbreaker, 60-59.

Zoltowski led four EC scorers in double-figures with 18 points, 12 of which came in the second half. The senior also grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists, and tallied three steals as she filled up the stat sheet. Pochkar, who got the start for the ailing Meghan Loya'16, turned in an impressive stat line. The sophomore had 15 points and tied for the team-high with eight rebounds. Thannhauser and Forrest rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 and 11 respectively.

Despite just one point from Balara, the point guard contributed in other ways as she pulled down eight rebounds, handed out seven assists, recorded three steals, and two blocks on the night.

EC has one game remaining on its regular season schedule, a road contest against Harwick College, a game that they need to win in order to play in the Empire 8 tournament. The Soaring Eagles take on the Hawks tomorrow, February 22nd at 5:00 p.m. in Oneonta, NY.