Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College women's basketball team (8-14, 4-9 E8) fell 47-46 to Hartwick College (7-16, 5-9 E8) in an Empire 8 Conference tilt today. Danielle Cleary '18 led the Soaring Eagles with 20 points, two steals, one assist, one block, and one rebound in the loss.

Alex Balara '15 finished the game with 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and one block while Meghan Loya '16 chipped in with a game-high 15 rebounds and eight points.

Both offenses struggled to get things going in the first 20 minutes of the contest, as there were just a total of 38 points scored. The low-scoring first half can be attributed to both teams shooting below 30 percent from the floor, 21.1 percent for Elmira and 29.2 percent for Hartwick. Despite hitting just 4-of-19 of their field goals in the opening half, it would be the Soaring Eagles who would hold a four-point edge heading into the locker rooms, leading 21-17. Subsidizing their offense was the free throw line, where EC shot an efficient 12-of-14. Cleary and Balara would combine to score 16 of Elmira's 21 points in the first, including nine of those points from the free-throw line.

Hartwick kicked off the second half with two straight buckets to tie the game up at 21. The Hawks traded baskets with EC and even took a three-point, 33-30, lead 8:46 into the second stanza. A three-pointer by Balara would lock the game up at 33-33. Cleary would then score back-to-back threes and put in a layup to give the Purple and Gold a, 41-33 lead. However, the Hawks responded with a 10-0 run to take a 43-41 lead with 4:25 left.

Back-to-back free throws from Loya would deadlock the game at 43, however a layup from Hartwick would give the Hawks a two point lead. Kelsey Geisler '15 answered back with a shot from downtown to give Elmira a 46-45 lead. The Hawks then would drain a couple free throws with 2:40 left to go back on top, 47-46. The score would remain 47-46 for the next two-plus minutes and after a Hartwick offensive foul with 11 seconds left, EC would have one final chance. Balara drove to the foul line and then kicked the ball out to an open Cleary. Cleary launched the potential game-winning shot with just over a second left on the clock, but it would bounce off the rim as EC would fall, 47-46.

The Purple and Gold will compete next on February 17th when the EC women will take on Empire 8 foe Houghton College at 6:00. This game marks the Soaring Eagles' final road game of the 2014-15 regular season.