WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Elmira College Women's Basketball team used fourth quarter success to propel themselves to victory in its season-opener against Penn College on Tuesday evening, 57-45. After a shaky first quarter from the floor, the Soaring Eagles were able to use second-half adjustments and shoot the ball much better in the next frame, which included a 60.0% effort in the fourth to erase a three-point deficit.

The fourth quarter included a 15-2 run to begin the frame, while Olivia Ayres '25 knocked down four second-half shots from deep and five in total.  

JUST THE BASICS: 
Location: Williamsport, Pennsylvania | Bardo Gymnasium
Score: Elmira: 57, Penn College: 45 
Records: Elmira: (1-0, 0-0 E8), Penn College (0-1, 0-0 NEAC) 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
It took the Soaring Eagles just five seconds to crack the scoreboard as off the tip, Laura Bogota '25 was able to find Desiree Roy '25 for the quick bucket. From there, it would be the Wildcats who scored the next three baskets via the jumper to take a quick 6-2 lead through the first two minutes of play. Additional buckets from Roy and D'Asia Jones '25 cut into the Penn College lead, who eventually used a 9-5 to take a 15-7 lead. 

The Soaring Eagles would score a pair of baskets down the stretch, trailing 15-12 at the first break. In the quarter, EC shot 5-of-14 from the floor, compared to 5-of-9 for the Wildcats as Roy led all scorers with five points.

The teams battled in the second, with EC outscoring Penn College 13-12. Olivia Ayres '25, who scored her first bucket with just 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter, was able to convert on three additional attempts from deep to lead all scorers at the break with 12. In the half, EC shot 35.7% as a team, compared to 45.0% for the Wildcats. Roy also chipped in nine points and five boards while Jones rounded out the scoring with four. 

The third quarter proved to be a battle between both squads,as Penn College outscored EC by just one point, 11-10. Through the third quarter, the Wildcats led the Purple & Gold 38-35, in a game which featured six ties and five lead changes to that point. 

In the fourth, Elmira scored the first three points of the frame to even the score at 38-38. Elmira would then go on to score 15 of the next 17 points and take an 13 point lead with less than three minutes remaining on made baskets from Bogota, Ayres, Roy, Jones, and Taylor Albrecht '22 all scored.

The Soaring Eagles and Wildcats flipped places in the second half from the floor, as the visitors posted a percentage of 53.8% compared to 22.2% for the Wildcats.

ELMIRA LEADERS (24-of-54, 44.0 percent from the field)
Desiree Roy - 19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 steals
Olivia Ayres - 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals
Laura Bogota - 6 points, 8 assists, 2 steals

PENN COLLEGE LEADERS (15-of-47, 31.9 percent from the field)
Ja'Quela Dyer – 10 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists 
Rachel Teats – 17 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds

UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles return to the court a week from today, Tuesday November 15 as they travel to Cazenovia College to take on the Wildcats. Tip off is set for 5:30 PM inside of the Upper Gymnasium.