Baseball (0-1, 0-0 E8)                                                                        
Last Week: Elmira began the 2018 season today with a 4-3 setback to Covenant (Ga.). Conor Bawiec '18 started on the mound for the Soaring Eagles and allowed all four runs, while striking out nine batters across six innings pitched. Eddie O'Donnell IV '18 drove in two of EC's three with a two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning, the first homer of his career. Bawiec drove in the Purple and Gold's other run with a single in the top of the first inning.
 
Next Game: EC continues its southern excursion tomorrow with a doubleheader against Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. The opening bout of the two-game set is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.
 
This Week's Games:
Tuesday, February 20, at Huntingdon College (4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.)
Thursday, February 22, at Pfeiffer University (4:00 p.m.)
Friday, February 23, at Guilford College (2:30 p.m.)
Saturday, February 24, at Wilkes University (12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.)
 
Men's Basketball (4-21, 2-14 E8)                                                                         
Last Week: The Soaring Eagles went 1-2 in a trio of Empire 8 Conference bouts to close out the 2017-18 season. On Tuesday, Elmira suffered a 100-63 defeat to St. John Fisher, despite getting an all-around solid performance from Justin Porrett '18, who tallied 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. On Friday against Stevens, the Purple and Gold pulled off one of their most exciting victories of the year at Speidel Gymnasium, handing the Ducks just their third conference loss, 97-92, and knocking them out of contention for the league's No. 1 spot heading into the E8 Tournament. Underclassmen Jesse Adelson '20 and Shawn Backus '21 were incredible in the win, as Adelson tallied a career-high 26 points with five 3-pointers and Backus posted career-highs in both points (21) and rebounds (12). In the season finale, the Soaring Eagles fell to Houghton in heart-breaking fashion, stumbling in overtime by a 108-103 final score. In the bout, both Adelson and Backus cracked 20 points again with 22 and 20, respectively, while Justin Porrett '19 was an outstanding facilitator with 18 assists. With two 20-point games this season, Backus earned his second consecutive E8 Rookie of the Week honor.
 
Next Game: n/a
 
This Week's Games: n/a
 
Women's Basketball (13-12, 5-11 E8)
Last Week: The Purple and Gold went 0-3 in three tightly-contested conference bouts to bring an end to the 2017-18 campaign. To start the week, Elmira almost pulled off a second-half comeback against the E8-leading Cardinals of St. John Fisher, 60-53, behind a game-high 16 points to go along with six rebounds from Rachel Vespucci '19. In her penultimate collegiate game, Danielle Cleary '18 led all players with 16 points to go along with six rebounds and four steals in EC's 46-38 setback to Stevens at Speidel Gymnasium. In the season finale on Saturday, Houghton completed an incredible fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Soaring Eagles, 71-65, to clinch a spot in the upcoming Empire 8 Championship Tournament. In their final game donning the Purple and Gold, Cleary and Emily Green '18 led the Soaring Eagles in scoring with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
 
Next Game: n/a
 
This Week's Games: n/a
 
Men's Ice Hockey (13-9-3, 8-5-3 UCHC)
Last Week: Elmira went 1-1 in a pair of United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) tilts over the weekend. EC opened the weekend with a convincing 5-1 victory over Chatham on Friday to clinch a spot in the inaugural UCHC tournament. Freshman Ryan Blais '21 led the way for the Soaring Eagles, as he tallied team highs in points (3) and assists (3), both of which are career highs. With a 4-1 loss to the Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley the following day, the Soaring Eagles earned the fifth seed in the upcoming league tournament. Nick Ford '18 scored EC's lone goal of the contest, a power-play tally that cut Elmira's deficit in half, 2-1, at the start of the second period. Gennaro Anzevino '21 saw time in both games and logged 98:24 minutes with 42 saves, a .933 save percentage and a 1.83 goals-against average.
 
Next Game: As the fifth seed in the UCHC tournament, the Soaring Eagles will travel to No. 4 Manhattanville for a quarterfinal bout at the Playland Ice Casino in Rye, New York. The contest is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.

This Week's Games:
Wednesday, February 21, at Manhattanville College^ (7:00 p.m.)
^UCHC Quarterfinals
 
Women's Ice Hockey (21-2-2, 15-0-1 UCHC)
Last Week: The Soaring Eagles picked up a pair of UCHC victories over Neumann at the Murray Athletic Center over the weekend, winning both bouts by a combined 11-1 score. In the opener, four different Soaring Eagles found the back of the net, with Shannon Strawinski '19 (1g-1a) and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 (2a) leading the way with two points apeice. In the season finale the following afternoon, seven different Elmira skaters tallied a goal. Fittingly, fourth-year defender Rachel Grampp '18 led all players with career-high-tying three points on a goal and two assists on Senior Day. Grampp was also a part of a defensive unit that allowed just one goal across the two contests.
 
Next Game: The Soaring Eagles have a two-week break before returning to the ice on Saturday, March 3, to host a UCHC semifinal matchup at the Murray Athletic Center. The opponent and time of the bout will be determined at the conclusion of the quarterfinal round.

This Week's Games: n/a
 
Men's Tennis (0-1, 0-0 E8)
Last Week: The Purple and Gold kicked off the 2018 campaign with a setback to SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, February 14, at the Murray Athletic Center. Patrick Tracey '18 earned Elmira's lone victory of the match in a thrilling three-set win at No. 1 singles. Tracey and Stephen Gervase '20 also came close to earning a win in No. 1 doubles action, but ultimately fell by an 8-4 final score.
 
Next Game: EC returns to the court on Saturday, March 3, when it challenges Oswego State at the Murray Athletic Center. The non-conference tilt is slated for a 1:30 p.m. start.
 
This Week's Games: n/a
 
Men's Volleyball (12-4, 3-0 UVC)
Last Week: No. 15-ranked Elmira went a perfect 2-0 at a United Volleyball Conference (UVC) tri-match, hosted by Bard over the weekend. The Soaring Eagles began play with a thrilling five-set victory over No. 14-ranked SUNY New Paltz, before closing out the weekend with a straight-set triumph over Sage the following morning. With the victories, EC improved to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2012 campaign. Sophomore Landon Miller '20 was fantastic in the win over the Hawks, as he tallied 13 kills on 16 attempts with zero errors for an impressive .813 hitting percentage. Miller joined Matthew Buffum '18 as winners of weekly accolades from both the UVC and the E8, as Miller was named the Rookie of the Week and Buffum was tabbed as the Player of the Week for both conferences. Against the Gators, Ryan McDonough '19 led the team with eight kills and nine blocks, while attacking at a .500 clip, his highest of the season in matches with 10-plus attacks.
 
Next Game: The Soaring Eagles will take a short hiatus from league play to compete at the Hiram College Invitational on Saturday, February 24, in Hiram, Ohio. EC begins the event with a rematch against No. 11 Mount St. Joseph at 10:00 a.m., before ending play with a bout against the first-year Terriers at 12:00 p.m.
 
This Week's Games:
Saturday, February 24, vs. #11 Mount St. Joseph University^ (10:00 a.m.)
Saturday, February 24, at Hiram College^ (12:00 p.m.)
^Hiram College Invitational