ELMIRA, NY – In a hard-fought Empire 8 matchup at Speidel Gymnasium, the Elmira College Soaring Eagles battled evenly with Houghton for three quarters but were outscored 23-12 in the fourth, ultimately falling 62-51 on Friday night.
JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Houghton 62, Elmira 51
LOCATION: Elmira, New York | Speidel Gymnasium
RECORDS: Elmira (8-13, 2-10 Empire 8), Houghton (15-6, 5-6 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The game began as a defensive battle, with both teams locked at 12 after the first quarter. Houghton edged ahead in the second, taking a 26-21 lead into halftime.
- Elmira responded with its best offensive stretch in the third quarter, outscoring the Highlanders 18-13 to pull within two entering the final period.
- However, Houghton dominated the fourth quarter, capitalizing on key turnovers and missed opportunities by the Soaring Eagles.
- The Highlanders' 23-point final frame secured their victory as Elmira struggled to find its offensive rhythm late.
- Amarionah Dixon '26 led Elmira with a double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
- D'Asia Jones '25 provided a spark off the bench with 16 points, shooting 7-of-17 from the field. Emma Ryan '28 added eight points, while Aynsley Belcher '28 contributed six.
- Elmira shot 33.8% from the field and 30.8% from three but struggled at the free-throw line, making just three of five attempts.
- Meanwhile, Houghton controlled the boards, out rebounding Elmira 40-39, and scored 34 points in the paint.
UP NEXT: The Soaring Eagles return to action on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when they host Alfred University in another Empire 8 showdown.
