Women's Basketball | 2/4/2022 9:48:00 PM
HOUGHTON, NY— Abby Guiher drained a pair of 3-pointers in the final two minutes, breaking a tie game and propelling the Houghton Highlanders past the visiting Elmira Soaring Eagles, 56-52.
Houghton jumped out to a 17-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, knocking down 3-of-8 three-pointers, before the Soaring Eagles returned the favor in the second, 17-12, as both teams went to the locker rooms separated by only a point.
The Highlanders would continue to flourish from long range, knocking down a season-high 14 shots from beyond the arc before game's end.
The third quarter began with more back-and-forth between the two teams until Elmira's Nevaeh Winston hit a layup to put the Soaring Eagles up by two, 40-38 with 5:33 remaining in the quarter.
Houghton answered quickly with an Amanda Jackson three and a layup to Alexis Klohr, leading to an 11-1 run by the Highlanders, who finished the quarter ahead by eight, 49-41.
The Soaring Eagles, however, fought back into contention early in the final quarter, eventually tying the game on a three-point play by Desiree Roy, 50-50, with less than five minutes to play.
Exhausted, neither team could find the bottom of the net for next three-and-a-half minutes, until Guiher sank her three to put Houghton up, 53-50.
Fifty-three second later, Taylor Jung hit a jumper to pull the Soaring Eagles within a point, but Guiher again drilled a three with 15 second remaining to put Houghton up for good.
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 56 | Elmira – 52
Records: Houghton: 8-12 (2-9 Empire 8) | Elmira: 8-11 (3-8 Empire 8)
Venue: Dix Family Court, The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 118
NOTABLE STATS
>> Elmira remained in contention by outrebounding the hot-shooting Highlanders, 51-38, leading to 16 second-chance points compared to Houghton's eight.
>> The Highlanders have now made 163 three-pointers in 20 games this season, moving them into second place all-time, trailing only the 2011-12 squad, who sank 171 but did so in 28 games.
>> Guiher finished with 15 points—her third highest total of the season—and seven rebounds.
>> Amanda Jackson finished with 14 points, including three three-pointers, and a career-best five assists. She has now made 58 threes this season, giving her the third-highest single-season total in Houghton history, trailing only Kristen Moose (73) and Aimee Bence (65).
>> Carlee Miller added 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots, while Alexis Klohr collected seven points, seven rebounds and six assists.
>> Desiree Roy and Nevaeh Winston each pulled in double-doubles for the Soaring Eagles, with Roy notching 19 points and 13 boards, and Winston 11 points and 13 boards.
UP NEXT
The Highlanders return to Dix Family Court tomorrow afternoon when they host the Keuka Wolves at 2:00 p.m. Houghton defeated the Wolves earlier this season, 75-51.