Score: Shenandoah University 64 – Elmira College 57
Records: Shenandoah (3-1), Elmira (0-4)
Location: Shingleton Gymnasium – Winchester, Va.
 
WINCHESTER, Va. -- The Elmira College women's basketball team led by as many as nine points in the second half of today's non-league road bout against Shenandoah University. However, the Soaring Eagles were unable to hold on down the stretch, despite a pair of double-double efforts from Danielle Cleary '18 and Rachel Vespucci '19, as the Hornets marched away with a 64-57 victory.
 
Elmira trailed out of the halftime break by just two points, 28-26, but a strong third-quarter performance would give the Purple and Gold a seven-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation, 46-39. The Soaring Eagles outscored the Hornets 20-to-11 in the third quarter thanks to a balanced scoring attack that featured six different scorers, led by Cleary and her seven third-quarter points.  
 
The Elmira lead did not last long though, as Shenandoah pieced together a 12-2 run in the opening three minutes to reclaim a 51-48 advantage. Shenandoah's run was fueled by its concentrated effort on the defensive side of the floor, as the Hornets forced a pair of Soaring Eagle turnovers and held Elmira without a field goal attempt for the first 2:04 of the quarter.
 
From there, the two squads traded a trio of baskets, with the Hornets getting a layup from Kirstyn Arcata, while Elmira saw Cleary drain two of her three 3-pointers of the contest to pull the Purple and Gold ahead, 54-53, with 5:04 to play. Unfortunately, Elmira's offense struggled in the final half of the quarter, going 1-for-6 from the field and 1-for-3 from the charity stripe, all while committing four turnovers.
 
Despite EC's shooting woes, the Soaring Eagles still managed to keep it a one-point game, as Vespucci connected on an and-one opportunity at the 1:35 mark of the period. The old fashioned 3-point play by Vespucci brought the Purple and Gold to within one, 58-57, but the Hornets closed out the contest with a 6-0 run, fueled by a 4-for-4 shooting from the free-throw line, to secure a seven-point win.
 
Turing Point
After going up by nine points on two occasions in the third quarter, Elmira's offense struggled in the fourth quarter, especially in the opening three minutes. Elmira attempted just one shot from the field, but a pair of missed free-throws and turnovers sparked a 12-2 Shenandoah run, which swung momentum back into the hands of the home team. The 0-for-2 shooting from the charity stripe was part of a mediocre performance that saw the Soaring Eagles connect on less than half of their foul shot attempts in today's contest (7-of-15).
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira shot the ball well from the field, going 23-for-57 (40.4%).
• Shenandoah was just as hot from the floor, knocking down 26-of-62 attempts (41.9%).
• EC was 4-for-16 from 3-point land (25.0%), while the Hornets were 4-for-11 (36.4%).
• Neither team shot the ball well from the free throw line, combining for a 15-for-31 total (48.4%).
• Elmira went 7-for-15 from the line (40.4%), while Shenandoah was 8-for-16 (50.0%).
• Elmira controlled the boards with a lopsided 47-to-32 advantage on the glass.
• Turnovers plagued EC throughout the game, as the Soaring Eagles turned it over 26 times.
• Shenandoah committed 15 turnovers, 10 of those coming on steals by Elmira.
• 32 of Elmira's 57 points came inside the paint.
• Shenandoah's bench contributed in a big way with 26 points.
• Cleary led Elmira with 19 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, three steals and two assists.
• Vespucci was impressive down in the post, logging 18 points and 14 boards.
• Lindsey Heaton '19 chipped in with nine points and eight assists.
• Emily Green '18 registered five points, four rebounds and a team-high four steals.
• Marissa Silverman '17 and Emily Breheny '20 both grabbed six rebounds apiece.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira's 40.4-percent shooting from the field is a season high.
• The 40.4-percent shooting from the floor is EC's highest rate since February 12, 2016.
• Elmira dropped its first game when outrebounding an opponent by 10-or-more since November 13, 2015.
• Vespucci's 18 points were a career high, as were her 14 rebounds.
• Vespucci logged the first double-double of her collegiate career.
• Cleary produced the seventh double-double of her Elmira career and first of the 2016-17 season.
• Cleary's trio of rejections tied her single-game career high.
• Heaton's eight assists also matched her previous single-game career high.
• Silverman's six rebounds are a career best.

 
Up Next
Elmira will look to bounce back from today's defeat on Sunday, November 27th, when the Soaring Eagles play in their home opener against Gallaudet University. Sunday's non-conference contest is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. at Elmira's Speidel Gymnasium.