ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The 2016 fall season moved another week closer to completion, as a handful of Elmira College athletic teams entered the final third of their schedules. With the fall season winding down, the 2016-17 winter sports season is just around the corner.  
  Following a mid-week matchup with Empire 8 Conference rival, Ithaca College, the Soaring Eagles will welcome the fifth-ranked Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology to Campus Field for an E8 showdown on Saturday, October 22nd. The showdown with the Ducks will be Elmira's second against a nationally-ranked opponent this season. Kick-off for Saturday's E8 contest is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
  Elmira's path to the Empire 8 Tournament became even tougher over the past weekend, as the Soaring Eagles dropped a conference contest on the road to St. John Fisher College, landing the Purple and Gold in seventh place in the E8 standings. However, with just four points separating EC from fourth-place Fisher, a spot in the year-end tournament is still within reach, making this Saturday's matchup with Nazareth College ever-so intriguing. Saturday's bout with the Golden Flyers is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. at Elmira's Campus Field.
  At the conclusion of Saturday's soccer matches, Elmira will welcome back alumni of the program for a two-day event in the Southern Tier. Festivities begin on Saturday, October 21st, with a post-game meet and greet reception at the Green Derby at 6:00 p.m. Then at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 22nd, Elmira will hold an alumni game at Campus Field. There is no admission cost for Sunday's contest.
  Although the fall sports season still has a few weeks remaining on the schedule, winter teams have begun practices for the upcoming 2016-17 campaign. Elmira men's ice hockey is the first team that will be in action at home, as the Soaring Eagles take on Oswego State at the Murray Athletic Center on Saturday, October 29th, at 7:00 p.m. Women's ice hockey is the next to debut at home, with back-to-back contests at the MAC starting on Friday, November 11th, against Chatham University at 7:00 p.m. Women's Basketball opens its home slate on Sunday, November 27th, against Gallaudet University at Speidel Gymnasium, while men's basketball does not compete at home until Tuesday, January 3rd, when the Soaring Eagles host Hartwick College in an 8:00 p.m. E8 showdown.
  It was another heartbreaking week for the Elmira women, who went 0-4 at home in the previous week's matches. Elmira dropped a pair of five-set decisions to Alfred and Lycoming, while suffering two four-set losses to SUNY Cortland and Hunter. Taylor Kaznowski '19 had a solid week with three double-doubles, as the sophomore setter finished with 141 assists (7.83 per set) and 51 digs (2.83 per set). She tied her career-high dig total twice with 16 against Cortland and Lycoming.
  Elmira suffered its second and third consecutive defeats last week with one-goal road losses to SUNY Canton and St. John Fisher. Tony Barraco '18 scored his second goal in as many games to send last Tuesday's game against the Roos into overtime, but Canton would break through for the game-winner in the second overtime period to steal a 2-1 win away from Elmira. Then this past Saturday, Elmira was shutout for the first time in three weeks, as the Cardinals claimed a 1-0 win over the Soaring Eagles. Jordan Hodlofski '17 made his first start in net for Elmira against Fisher and finished the week with six saves.
  In the team's lone game of the week, Elmira pushed Houghton to the brink but would come up short in double-overtime, falling to the Highlanders by a 1-0 final score. It was a thrilling contest at Campus Field, as both teams had an ample amount of chances to score in regulation. However, both goalkeepers were on their game, especially EC's Amanda Banner '17. She ended the game with a career-high 13 saves, one of which came on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute. Banner increased her season-save total to 95 and her career total to 274, which placed the fourth-year netminder in eighth place in the EC record book.
  After enjoying a season-long four-game homestand, the Soaring Eagles hit the road for pair of contests in Rochester, New York. Katie Carroll '18 scored her second goal of the year to put the Purple and Gold out in front, 1-0, against Nazareth but the Golden Flyers responded with three unanswered goals to claim a 3-1 win on Saturday, October 15th. The following afternoon, Elmira faced 13th-ranked University of Rochester and despite a few good looks for the Soaring Eagles, the Yellowjackets prevailed by a 4-0 final score.
  Elmira had one of its best showings of the year at the Cross Country Only Conference (CCOC) Championships, hosted by Hobart & William Smith Colleges at the Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva, New York. The Soaring Eagles claimed an eighth-place finish at the 14-team event with a score of 236. Hannah Lundgren '18 paced the Purple and Gold with a season-best 27:15.10 time in the six-kilometer race, good enough for 38th place at the 131-runner event. Abby Tourison '17 and Melody Ribeiro '17 posted the second-fastest 6K times of their collegiate careers at 28:27.80 and 29:59.10, respectively.
  The Soaring Eagles wrapped up the CCOC Championships with an 11th-place finish at the 15-team event. Elmira posted a score of 303, nine points better than 12th-place Cazenovia. James Fristche '18 continued to make strides in his comeback tour after missing the first few races of the season due to injury. Fritsche navigated the 8K course at the Seneca Lake State Park in 29:05.30, the second-fastest time of his collegiate career and the fourth-fastest time in program history, to place 46th at the event. Zac Park '17 also had a strong showing, as the second-year runner clocked in at 29:48.90, which was the fastest 8K time of his EC career.