HOUGHTON, N.Y. – The Elmira College women's basketball team qualified for the Empire 8 Semifinals on Friday at St. John Fisher after defeating the hosts from Houghton College on Tuesday, 65-58. In the win, the Soaring Eagles turned the ball over a season-low eight times when it mattered most, while Desiree Roy '25 posted a career game with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Roy, who was shutdown by Houghton in the first half of its last meeting on February 7, was one rebound shy of a double-double in the first half this evening. 

Roy was one of three Soaring Eagles to finish the game in double-figures, as Nevaeh Winston '25 and Laura Bogota '25 finished with 13 and 12, respectively. 

JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 65, Alfred 58
LOCATION: Houghton, New York | Nielsen Center
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (15-10, 10-8 E8), Alfred (17-9)

After Bogota scored the games' opening bucket, the Soaring Eagles would hold the lead for nearly the remainder of the game except for once in the third quarter when the Highlanders took a one-point lead. 

Elmira forced the Highlanders into 12 turnovers, which resulted in a 12-3 advantage in points off turnovers. Additionally, the Soaring Eagles matched its two-game total from its regular season matchups against the Highlanders (3), with Elmira focusing much of its offensive attack in the paint. The Highlanders, who were just 7-of-27 from long range (25.9%), were kept in the game by Crysta Lacrosse who made four of the teams' seven shots. 

Houghton took its first lead of the contest with 4:05 remaining in the third following a made free throw to make the score 40-39. The Soaring Eagles would finish the frame on a 12-4 run, which would prove to be the difference with the visitors carrying a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter. 

ELMIRA LEADERS (45.3%, 24-of-53 from the floor)
Desiree Roy- 18 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals
Nevaeh Winston - 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
Laura Bogota - 12 points, 7 assists rebounds, 3 rebounds

HOUGHTON LEADERS (33.8%, 22-of-65 from the floor)
Crysta Lacrosse  - 21 points, 6 rebounds
Abby Guiher - 11 points

UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles will return to the floor on Friday when heading to St. John Fisher University to take on the top-seeded Cardinals at 5:30 PM in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Tournament.