Elmira, NY – Jessica Zoltowski (Erie, PA -- Harbor Creek) and Maria Thannhauser (Newfield, NY -- Newfield) each tallied 22 points apiece as the Elmira College Women's Basketball team used a second half surge to oust visiting The Sage Colleges, 65-53, Tuesday evening in Speidel Gymnasium. The win improves the Soaring Eagles to 2-2, while the loss drops the Gators to 0-4.
Elmira got off to a quick 6-0 start after two quick Thannhauser baskets and a Zoltowski lay-in. Over the next four minutes Sage battled back to tie it at 12 all after a Sara Tironi (Cambridge, NY/ Cambridge Central) old fashioned three-point play.
The Purple and Gold used a 14-3 spurt to claim its largest lead of the half at 26-15, with 6:21 left in the opening frame. The Gators closed the half on a 12-1 run of their own as EC led just 28-27 at intermission. Zoltowski led all players with 16 points and seven rebounds. Tironi paced Sage with nine points and seven boards.
Elmira got out to a 41-33 lead with 13:23 remaining, however the Gators battled back to tie it at 46 all with just under seven minutes remaining. The Soaring Eagles completed an 11-0 run culminating in a pair of Zoltowski free throws with three minutes remaining. EC held on down the stretch as it made a majority of its attempts from the charity stripe.
Zoltowski led the Soaring Eagles with a double-double on 22 points and 15 rebounds, along with two assists and three steals. Thannhauser recorded 22 points, seven rebounds and a game-high six steals. Tironi paced the Gators with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while junior Chelsea Martin (Davenport, NY/Jefferson Central) added 14 in the scoring column.
Elmira committed just 11 turnovers compared to Sage's 22 and used that to create a 22-6 points off turnover advantage. Meanwhile, EC controlled bench points 12-5.
Sage returns to action on November 29 hosting St. Joseph's College (LI) in the team's 2012-2013 Skyline Conference home opener at 7 p.m. in the Kahl Gym.
