Elmira Wins on Buzzer Beater Against St. John Fisher
Rochester, NY – The Elmira College Women’s Basketball team picked up its first conference win of the season in thrilling fashion, 67-65, Friday evening against host St. John Fisher College. Jessica Zoltowski ’14 (Erie, PA -- Harbor Creek) drained an elbow jumper as time expired to give Elmira the electrifying victory. The win improves the Soaring Eagles to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in Empire 8 play, while the loss drops the Cardinals to an equal 5-9 overall and 1-2 in conference competition.
The Cardinals got out to a 13-3 start the first eight minutes of the game, but EC responded closing the final 12 minutes of the half outscoring Fisher 21-13 to trail by just two, at 26-24, at the break. Maria Thannhauser ’14 (Newfield, NY -- Newfield) and Alexis Perryman ’15 (Queensbury, NY -- Queensbury) led the charge offensively for the Soaring Eagles as they each tallied six points. The Purple and Gold held a distinctive advantage in shooting as they drained nearly 40 percent of their shots, while the Cardinals converted just 28 percent.
After a Meghan Soja jumper at the 14:48 mark of the second half tied the game at 33 all, the Soaring Eagles went on an 11-2 run behind eight points from Thannhauser to open up a 10 point lead at 44-34, with 11 minutes remaining in the contest. Five straight points from Camaryn Buckner brought the deficit to seven at 49-42, with just over six minutes to play. Over the next four minutes the Cardinals surged to bring the game within three at 60-57. Elmira clung to a four point lead with 38 seconds left, at 65-61. Fisher scored on the ensuing possession, and then EC was unable to convert on two attempts at the charity stripe. The Cardinals responded getting a huge bucket from Soja with 16 seconds left to tie the game at 65 all.
The Purple and Gold turned the ball over with 10 seconds left, but then came up with a huge defensive stand drawing a charge with three seconds left. Elmira went the length of the court in three seconds as Liz Forrest ’14 (North Walpole, NH -- Fall Mountain) received the inbounds pass at half court and found a cutting Zoltowski at the right elbow. Zoltowski let it go as the buzzer sounded and the ball swished through the net as the team stormed onto the court and picked up its first conference victory of the young season.
Thannhauser had a huge game for the Soaring Eagles as she tallied 25 points, shooting 7-for-10 from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Lone fourth-year player Darcy James ’12 (Castile, NY -- Letchworth Central) also shot the ball well as she nailed six of her 10 shot attempts and drained three of six from distance on the way to a 15 point night. Zoltowski finished with nine points and six boards. Soja led the Cardinals tallying a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds, while Buckner added 19 points and seven boards. EC shot an astonishing 63 percent in the second half and 51 percent overall in the game, including 41 percent from long distance. Meanwhile, the Cardinals shot just 34 percent from the field and 21 percent from trey. Both teams turned the ball over 17 times, while Fisher held a 38-28 advantage on the glass.