Score: Utica College 62, Elmira College 53
Records: Utica (6-7, 2-2 Empire 8), Elmira (8-6, 0-5 Empire 8)
Location: Utica, N.Y. -- Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium

UTICA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's basketball team nearly overcame a double-digit halftime deficit on Saturday afternoon against Utica College, but the Pioneers pulled away late the in the final quarter to seal a 62-53 Empire 8 Conference win.

The Pioneers ended the second quarter on a 12-6 run that put them ahead, 32-22, at the break. The Purple and Gold responded with a big third quarter, as EC outscored Utica 19-12 in the period. The Soaring Eagles opened the third with an 11-3 run of their own, one which began with a Danielle Cleary '18 and-one and concluded with a Cleary 3-pointer. Elmira then took its first lead since the first quarter with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, as a Lauren Franklin '20 steal resulted in a Sally Hogan '19 lay-up that put EC up by one, 41-40. The lead was short lived, however, as the Pioneers ended the frame with four consecutive free throws.

The closest the Soaring Eagles came in the fourth quarter was two points, 55-53, following another two-point basket from Hogan. Utica's Alaina Tripp then turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, but Cleary missed an uncontested 3-point field goal from the left side of the arc that would have given Elmira another slim one-point lead. After the missed trey, the Utica defense held EC without a point and the Pioneers buried their free throws down the stretch to secure the win.

News and Notes

• After opening the 2017-18 season 8-1, the Soaring Eagles have dropped five consecutive conference games.
• Emily Green '18 led all scorers with 15 points on Saturday afternoon, her seventh game with double-digit points this season.
• Hogan reached double figures for the fifth time this year with 10 points.
• With two more blocks against the Pioneers, Hogan sits fourth in the E8 with 17 on the year, just two shy of the league lead.
• Lindsey Heaton '19 tied her season high with 10 rebounds.

Up Next
The EC women open a three-game homestand on Tuesday, January 16, with an Empire 8 bout against the Saxons of Alfred University. The conference contest is slated to begin at 8:00 p.m. inside Speidel Gymnasium.