Nazareth rallies to top Elmira, 68-62
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Visiting Nazareth staged a dramatic second-half rally Saturday against Elmira and the result was a 68-62 women's basketball victory for the Golden Flyers as senior Ashley Gallagher posted team highs in points (14) and rebounds (8).
Trailing by as many as 13 points in the second half, the Golden Flyers rallied to win their second Empire 8 Conference game of the weekend to improve to 11-8 overall and 4-5 in conference games. Nazareth also defeated Alfred Friday evening. The victory also avenged an earlier defeat to Elmira, which dropped to 7-13 overall and 3-6 in the Empire 8.
Nazareth held Elmira to just one field goal over the final 6:47 of play and that came on a desperation three-pointer after the game was decided. Nazareth outscored Elmira 14-6 over the last five minutes.
Senior Katie Kollar scored all 10 of her points in the second half, including back-to-back three-pointers to give the Golden Flyers the lead for good, 60-57 with 3:30 left. Another basket by Kollar extended the lead to five, 62-57, before two free throws by Elmira's Alex Balara brought the Soaring Eagles back to within three, 62-59, with 2:21 left.
Senior Danielle Chamberlain scored and Brittany Wilson and Kollar each sank two free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win. That extended Nazareth's lead to 68-59 before a three-pointer by Elmira's Liz Forrest snapped the Soaring Eagles' field goal drought and brought the final margin to six.
The game was tied early at 9-9 until Elmira went on a 14-6 scoring run to take a 23-15 lead and then settled for a 28-23 lead at the half. Elmira's Jessica Zoltowski scored 10 points during a 12-4 Elmira scoring run over the first four minutes of the second half that gave the Soaring Eagles their largest lead at 40-27.
Nazareth chipped away by using a 15-4 run to draw within two, 44-42, following a basket by Gallagher with 10:30 left. The Soaring Eagles stayed ahead, though, until Kollar's first three-pointer with 4:49 left.
Gallagher's 14 points and eight rebounds each matched her season highs. Wilson finished with 13 points and six rebounds. Senior Erica Shaw added 12 points and Kollar 10. Nazareth also was assisted by some strong second-half shooting in hitting 17 of 28 shots (60.7 percent) and 9 of 12 free throws (75 percent).
Zoltowski finished with a game-high 20 points for Elmira. Balara had 11.