ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's basketball team played a tremendous first quarter on Saturday afternoon, but the visiting Monarch's from King's College (Pa.) outscored the Soaring Eagles in the remaining three quarters to pick up a 77-58 non-conference win.

The Soaring Eagles (2-5) logged their second-best field-goal percentage of the season (38.7%) and their third-best scoring output with 58 points. However, King's (5-2) – which entered the contest averaging an impressive 85.7 points per game – used its high-octane offense overcame a six-point first-quarter deficit.

In the first 10 minutes, EC outpaced the Monarchs 19-13, thanks to an 8-of-11 showing from the floor (72.7) and a 3-of-4 effort from 3-point range (75.0%). Those field-goal percentages marked the best in a period by either team on Saturday. The offense continued to flow in the early portion of the second quarter, as Elmira netted six of the first eight points, including second-chance buckets from Bridget Yaw '20 and Lauren Franklin '20. Alyssa Waters '22 followed up with two makes from the charity stripe to give the Purple and Gold their largest lead of the contest at 25-15.

Over the ensuing six-plus minutes, the Monarchs began to chip away at the Elmira lead. King's came within one point on a few occasions, and a transition bucket by Emily Morano gave the visitors the lead, 35-34, with one minute left before halftime. Franklin stole the ball from Emily Kriston on the next King's possession finished with the layup to put EC back up by one, 36-35, but two more points from Morano gave the Monarchs the lead for good at the break, 37-36.

After making 50.0% (15-of-30) of their shots in the first half, the Soaring Eagles only connected at a rate of 28.1% (9-of-32) in the second half. That, coupled with multiple ill-timed turnovers, allowed King's to push the lead to a comfortable range. For the game, the Monarchs produced 17 points off of Elmira turnovers, 10 of which were earned in the second half.

News and Notes

• Elmira's 38.7 field-goal percentage marked its second-best of the 2019-20 campaign.
• EC held the Monarchs to their second-lowest offensive output of the year, their worst field-goal percentage at 40.8% (29-of-71), and a season-low three 3-pointers.
• Water's 18 points are one shy of her single-game career-high.
• Yaw finished with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), her best field-goal percentage of the season.
• Mykenzie Malacusky '23 and Emily Breheny '20 each scored six points, while Malacusky added a team-high eight rebounds, and Breheny posted a team-high three blocks.

Up Next
Before the Christmas break, the Soaring Eagles will head to Scranton, Pennsylvania, to participate in the Hilton Scranton Poinsettia Classic, hosted by the University of Scranton. The Royals, who are ranked No. 3 nationally in the D3hoops.com Top 25 and No. 9 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Coaches Poll, will face Elmira in the opening round on Wednesday, December 18, at 5:00 p.m.