Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College women's basketball team will be back in action tonight at the Purple and Gold travel to Utica College for an Empire 8 Conference at 6:00 p.m. The Soaring Eagles will also host SUNY Cortland tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. for a non-conference matchup.
A Rookie Season for the AgesDanielle Cleary '18 has made an immediate impact on the court for the Purple and Gold in her inaugural season, leading the team in scoring (14.4 ppg), three-point field goals made (29), and tying for the team lead in blocks (13). Cleary, if all else holds, will become the first Elmira rookie to lead the team in scoring since Kourtney Troutman '08 paced the 2004-05 Soaring Eagles with a 10.2 points per game average in her first season. Additionally, if the season ended today, Cleary's 14.4 points per game average would mark the highest scoring average produced by an Elmira freshman since Martha Bolduc '97 averaged 13.6 points per game in 1993-94.
The Pick-PocketAlex Balara '15 has displayed a level of thievery throughout her career that only a handful of Elmira players have shown in the last decade. Balara notched her eighth game this season, out of just 11 played, with at least three steals against Nazareth and became just the fourth Elmira player since 2005-06 to reach 200 career steals. Balara ranks fourth in that time in total steals with 203 and second in career steals per game at 2.4.
EC's Three-Point DefenseNot only has Elmira been proficient from three-point range this season, the EC women have also been strong at defending the three-ball. The Soaring Eagles rank third in the Empire 8 Conference in three-point defense, limiting opponents to 26.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Loya Cleaning Up the BoardsMeghan Loya '16 is averaging 8.5 rebounds per contest this season. She is tied for third in the Empire 8 Conference in rebounds per game and is just 2.4 behind conference leader Maisie Pipher of Houghton College.
