ELMIRA, N.Y. – In their return to play following the holiday break, the Keuka College Women's Basketball team lost at Elmira College 61-53 in their first Empire 8 game of the season.

For the first time since the 2019-20 season, Keuka College (1-8, 0-1 Empire 8) had four players score in double figures. Lauren Hill (Cobleskill, N.Y. / Cobleskill-Richmondville) and Amelia Poole (Bloomfield, N.Y. / Bloomfield) each led the way with 12 points. Killian Mahoney (Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy) finished with 11 for the Wolves and Jenna LaMere (Scottsville, N.Y. / Wheatland-Chili) added 10.

Elmira College 61 vs. Keuka College 53

After Elmira made the first basket of the game, the Wolves outscored the Soaring Eagles 10-2 over the first four minutes to stake an early lead. Both Poole and Mahoney contributed five points apiece in the run. Elmira responded, but the Wolves maintained the lead for a majority of the quarter. The hosts got a basket with 2:20 left to play to tie the game at 13-13. The two teams went scoreless the rest of the quarter as the game was tied after 10 minutes.

Lauren Hill made a free throw in the opening minute of the second, but the Wolves would go cold from the floor. Spanning the end of the first quarter and into the second, the Wolves went 9:05 without a field goal, during which, Elmira built a 20-14 lead. Jenna LaMere snapped the run with a layup and converted the three-point play. Keuka College would cut the lead down to one point multiple times and then take the lead 25-24 with a pair of free throws by Amelia Poole. Elmira took the lead back, but the Wolves answered in the final seconds. Killian Mahoney hit a three with three seconds left to give Keuka College a 28-27 halftime lead.

The Soaring Eagles came out of halftime strong. The hosts outscored the Wolves 14-2 over the first six minutes of the third to take the lead and extend the margin to 11 at 41-30. A personal 6-0 run by Lauren Hill cut the lead down to five with two minutes left in the frame. The margin would climb to six at the end of the third with Elmira leading 44-38.

In the fourth, Keuka College cut the lead down to four early in the quarter. Both teams would struggle to score as the Wolves went four minutes scoreless, however, a three-minute scoreless stretch by the Soaring Eagles kept the game close. However, five points would be as close as the Wolves would make down the stretch. Elmira extended their lead to double-digits. Keuka cut back into the margin but it was not enough as the Wolves fell at the Soaring Eagles 61-53.

KC Notes:

• The Wolves fall to 17-19 all-time against Elmira College
• Tuesday was the 36th game between Keuka and Elmira, tying the Soaring Eagles for the fourth-most played opponent in program history
• Lauren Hill also led the Wolves with 12 rebounds, recording her second career double-double
• Jenna LaMere set a new career-high in scoring and tied her career mark with nine rebounds
• The Wolves held a 54-46 advantage in rebounding
• Keuka went 6-41 from three. The Wolves have now attempted 385 threes this season, ranking tenth in program history
• Keuka College evenly distributed their points. The Wolves scored 16 points from two, 18 points from three, and 19 points from the free-throw line. It was the most free-throws in a game for the Wolves since February 2019

Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves will return home for their first Empire 8 home game on the season as Keuka College will welcome Alfred University to the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center. Tipoff between the Wolves and Saxons is set for 5:30pm.