Score: Hartwick College 67, Elmira College 57
Records: Hartwick (4-12, 3-4 E8), Elmira (10-7, 2-6 E8)
Location: Elmira, N.Y. -- Speidel Gymnasium

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's basketball team had its two-game conference win streak snapped by the Hawks of Hartwick College by a 67-57 final score in Empire 8 Conference action on Thursday night at Speidel Gymnasium.

After shooting above 40.0 percent from the field in back-to-back E8 wins over Alfred University and Nazareth College, the Soaring Eagles struggled to find their touch against the Hawks. EC finished the contest with a 34.4 field-goal percentage (22-for-64), including a 6-for-22 (27.3 percent) showing from the 3-point range. To make matters even worse, Elmira recorded one of its worst free-throw percentages of the season on Thursday night, too, going just 7-for-15 (46.7 percent) from the charity stripe.

Despite the subpar shooting numbers, the Purple and Gold entered the halftime break with a slim three-point lead, 28-25. Down 16-13 early in the second quarter, the EC women pieced together a 7-0 run that included a Danielle Cleary '18 trey and ended with an Emily Green '18 fast-break layup. Hartwick regained a pair of one-point leads inside the last two-plus minutes of the opening half, both of which came off of points from the game's top scorer, Carly Johnson, but Lindsey Heaton '19 tallied four of Elmira's final six points of the period to put the host ahead at the intermission. 

The Soaring Eagles last led midway through the third quarter. Sally Hogan '19 deposited two of five unanswered points with a layup and Cleary sunk another 3-pointer to cap off the mini-run, which put Elmira up 36-35. The Hawks, however, roared out to a comfortable lead with a 10-0 run of their own over the ensuing 2:23. Following a Caitlin Corbett two-point bucket, Victoria Sacramone forced a turnover and nailed a 3-pointer on the other end of the court. She came up with another steal on EC's next possession, which resulted in a Kelly Pine second-chance layup. Pine then hit a trey less than a minute later to increase Hartwick's cushion to 45-36.

In the second half alone, the Hawks shot at a 50.0 percent clip (14-for-28) from the floor, as compared to a mere 33.3 field-goal percentage (10-for-30) from the Soaring Eagles in the final 20 minutes of action.

Four of Hartwick's five starters finished with double-digit points, led by Johnson with a game-high 24 points, 17 of which came in the second half to secure the come-from-behind victory. Heaton led the Soaring Eagles 17 points, in addition to six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Cleary compiled 16 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Green rounded out Elmira's double-digit scorers with 10 points.

News and Notes

• Elmira's overall record fell to 10-7, while the Soaring Eagles stand at 2-6 in-conference.
• EC committed a season-low nine turnovers against the Hawks.
• Heaton's 17 points mark her second-highest single-game total of the season.
• Heaton has reached double-figures in three consecutive games.
• Cleary scored double-digit points for the 13th time in her senior season.
• Cleary broke a two-way tie with Martha Bolduc '97 (429) for third-place all-time in program history for career field goals by making four on Thursday night, upping her total to 433.

Up Next
Elmira will look to sweep its season series from Alfred University on Saturday, January 27, when the Soaring Eagles travel to Alfred, New York, for a 4:00 p.m. Empire 8 bout with the Saxons.