ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Another exciting week of Elmira College athletics is in the books, as all five winter teams were in action at home over the weekend.  
  The fifth-ranked Elmira College women's ice hockey team is in action three times this week, beginning with a Tuesday night non-league matchup with Williams College, before wrapping up the week with a home-and-home series against William Smith College. Of EC's three games, only one will take place on the team's home ice at the Murray Athletic Center. The Soaring Eagles host the Herons of William Smith on Friday, January 20th, at 7:00 p.m.
  Elmira College men's ice hockey has been playing much better as of late, going 5-2-1 in its last eight games, which includes a 5-2 upset win over No. 13/14 nationally-ranked Salve Regina University. The Soaring Eagles will face another nationally-ranked foe this Saturday, January 21st, when the Elmira men travel to face No. 9/10 Hobart College. Saturday's contest will not count towards Elmira's ECAC West record and will take place at the W.G. Allyn Ice Arena in Skaneateles, New York.
  The Soaring Eagle basketball programs are busy this week, as both teams will be in action three times in a five-day span, starting with tonight's road bout with Houghton College. EC will also take on Alfred University on the road on Thursday, January 19th, before returning to its home hardwood at Speidel Gymnasium on Saturday, January 21st, for an Empire 8 showdown against Ithaca College. The Elmira women take the floor first at 2:00 p.m., while the men's tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m.
  After a hard-fought season-opening loss to Marymount University, the Elmira College men's volleyball team returns to action this weekend at the Golden Dome Invitational, hosted by the University of Rutgers-Newark. Elmira begins the three-match invite on Friday, January 20th, with an 8:00 p.m. clash with 11th-ranked Rutgers-Newark. The following afternoon will pit the Purple and Gold against 15th-ranked Juniata College and unranked Lasell College.
 
  Elmira went 1-1-0 last weekend against two of the top teams from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) in Curry College and No. 13/14 nationally-ranked Salve Regina. Junior forward Tyler Theodoulou '18 scored the lone goal in a 3-1 Soaring Eagle setback in Friday's clash with the Colonels of Curry. However, EC responded in a big way the following night, as the Purple and Gold upended Salve Regina, 5-2, for the team's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.
 
Connor Powell '20 led the charge against the Seahawks with a team-high three points on one goal and two assists. Senior captain Eddie Nolan '17 also enjoyed a fine game for the Soaring Eagles, as the Dorchester, Massachusetts, native scored the game-winning goal and assisted on the team's first tally of the night. Fellow senior, Sal Magliocco '17, had another solid outing with a 38-save effort to secure Elmira's sixth victory of the season. Of Magliocco's 38 saves, 18 came in the third period.    Fifth-ranked Elmira got back to its winning ways this past weekend with a pair of lopsided victories against SUNY Cortland. EC opened the home-and-home series with a 5-1 road win on Friday night, before returning to the MAC and safely securing a 5-0 shutout victory. Kelcey Crawford '18 earned her fourth win of the year on Friday night by making 13 saves, while Kyle Nelson '17 picked up the win in Saturday's shutout thanks to a nine-save effort. Additionally, rookie Jamie Humphrey '20 made her collegiate debut in net as she closed out Saturday's win by playing in the final 5:13 of regulation.
 
Offensively, eight different skaters produced two or more points over the weekend. Pacing the pack were classmates Maddy Jerolman '19 and Maddie Evangelous '19, who totaled four points apiece. Jerolman ended the two-game series with three goals, one of which came on the power play, and one assist. Evangelous assisted on three Elmira tallies and scored the game-winner in Friday's four-goal triumph.
  The Soaring Eagles enjoyed a four-point lead with two minutes remaining in regulation, but Elmira was unable to hang on down the stretch, as the Pioneers stole a 57-55 win on EC's home court. Elmira was held scoreless in the final three minutes of the second half, shooting just twice (0-for-2) during that time, and committed four turnovers that resulted in four points for Utica.
 
Three players finished in double figures for the Soaring Eagles, led by second-year guard Justin Porrett '19 and his 18 points. Porrett was 7-of-17 from the field, including a 4-for-8 mark from 3-point range. He also grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists and made three steals. Matt Davis '17 and Henry Cuffee '19 chipped in with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
  Saturday's clash with Utica began well enough for the Elmira women, who owned a 16-11 lead after the end of the first quarter. However, the Pioneers nearly doubled Elmira's point production in the second and third quarters by outscoring the Soaring Eagles, 45-24. Utica would go up by as many as 17 points in the contest, before marching away with a 65-51 win.
 
Rachel Vespucci '19 logged her second consecutive double-double, and sixth of the season, with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Danielle Cleary '18 led Elmira's offensive efforts with 14 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine boards. Lindsey Heaton '19 chipped in with 13 points and dished out six dimes.
  The 2017 season did not begin as well as Elmira would have hoped, as the Soaring Eagles dropped a hard-fought four-set decision at Speidel Gymnasium to Marymount University. Elmira rallied behind some impressive hitting (12k-3-24ta) to win the opening set, 29-27, saving three set points in the process. Unfortunately, EC was unable to maintain its high-efficiency hitting, as the Saints of Marymount claimed the final three sets to earn a 3-1 win.
 
Ryan McDonough '18 led all EC hitters with 11 kills. He also made five digs and served up a pair of aces. Jeremy Best '19 orchestrated the Elmira attack with 29 assists, and also got into the mix defensively by tying for the team lead in digs with seven. Starting libero Ryan Branigan '19 shared the team lead in digs with Best (7).