On Wednesday, it was a hard-fought game, but Elmira had to settle for a 39-37 defeat against the Cardinals. Elmira has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meya Smith and Mariah Matias certainly did their best on Wednesday to avoid the loss. Smith scored eight points along with 14 rebounds and two blocks, while Matias dropped a double-double on 12 points and 14 rebounds. It was the first time this season that Smith pulled down eight or more rebounds. Another player making a difference was Addison Taft, who scored three points along with five rebounds and four steals.
Elmira dropped their record down to 7-8 with that defeat, which was their third straight on the road. That rough patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 53.0 points per game. As for Newark Valley, their win bumped their record up to 2-0.
Elmira will be playing in front of their home fans against the Little Red at 7:15 p.m. on Friday. Ithaca comes in still looking for their first win of the season. As for Newark Valley, they will head out on the road to take on the Crusaders at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Notre Dame and the Cardinals are at an even 3-3 over their past six head-to-heads.
