Ithaca, NY -- The Elmira College women's basketball team (3-5, 0-1 E8) fell to Ithaca College (7-3, 1-0 E8) 76-68 today. Danielle Cleary '18 led the Soaring Eagles with 25 points, six rebounds, a block, and a steal in today's action.

Also playing well was Alex Balara '15 who posted 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a steal while Meghan Loya '16 pulled down 11 rebounds and tallied seven points, two assists, two steals, and a block in the game.

The Bombers started the game with a 6-0 run that was broken up by a Kelsey Geisler '15 layup to put the Purple and Gold on the board. The EC women battled back and tied the game up to 7-7 after a made Loya jumper. After both teams traded baskets and were tied up at 9-9, Ithaca set the pace for the remainder of the first half as the team went on a 19-13 run to close out the remainder of the half.

The Bombers scored the first basket of the second half to take a 40-22 lead before Cleary dropped a three-point shot that would spark a 12-2 run to trail 42-34. The Purple and Gold slowing chipped away at the Bombers' lead until a Balara jumper took the EC women to within four points from Ithaca with 9:06 remaining. However, that would be as close as the Purple and Gold would get for the rest of the game as Ithaca and Elmira traded baskets the rest of the half and would eventually fall, 76-68.

The Purple and Gold will compete next tomorrow, January 3rd when the EC women host St. John Fisher College in other Empire 8 Conference matchup at 2:00 p.m.