ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's soccer team fell 1-0 to the visiting Houghton College Highlanders on Saturday afternoon at Campus Field. The first half was an even battle with the Soaring Eagles creating four shots to the Highlander's three, but the second half saw Houghton get the better of EC, outshooting them 6-1. Houghton would convert one of those in the 77th minute for the game-deciding goal. Elmira suffers their first loss in conference play, moving to 1-1 in the Empire 8.

JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 0, Houghton 1
LOCATION: Elmira, N.Y.
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (5-3, 1-1 E8), Houghton (3-5, 2-0 E8)

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The first half was a defensive stalemate with the Highlanders looking a bit more dangerous. All of Houghton's three shot attempts forced Soaring Eagle goalkeeper Giovanni Garufi '22 into action. Garufi ended up with five total saves on the day. EC's only two shots on goal for the day came from the foot of Gavin Wise '22. Both were free kick attempts, the first came in the 12th minute from 10 yards outside the 18-yard box and the other in the 29th minute from close to 40 yards away.

The Purple & Gold struggled throughout the second half, attempting just one shot that went wide right. The Highlanders would score the lone goal of the game with 13 minutes to play when Logan Schrock settled a punt from goalkeeper Sam Carpenter to teammate Kyle Thyssen. Thyssen would evade an EC defender before lifting a shot into the top right corner of net.

UP NEXT:
Elmira is back on the road Tuesday, September 28 when they travel to SUNY Morrisville to take on the Mustangs. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.