January 18, 2005

GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith basketball team lead from start to finish in a 79-72 win over visiting Elmira College this evening in a non-conference contest in Bristol Gym. Junior guard Pria Young (Council Rock/Richboro, Pa.) led five Herons in double digits with a game-high 17 points.

William Smith (7-4) scored the game’s first eight points and led by as many as 11 in the first 10 minutes. The Soaring Eagles (5-7) used an 11-2 run to creep within two, 17-15, before the Herons responded with another surge en route to a 40-30 halftime advantage. First-year forward Stephanie Czajkowski (Bishop Ludden/Syracuse, N.Y.) scored nine of her 10 points in the opening 20 minutes to pace William Smith.

After the break, the Herons inflated their lead to as many as 14, before Elmira made another push. A 14-4 run, capped by a Kourtney Troutman (Pine Valley/South Dayton, N.Y.) layup at the 11:21 mark, pulled the Eagles within one, 51-50. Troutman finished with 12 points.

Senior guard Tara Brisson (Bishop Grimes/Liverpool, N.Y.) scored the game’s next four points, sparking an 8-0 Heron run that put William Smith on the road to victory. Brisson finished with 12 points.

First-year guard Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.) added 16 points, six assists, and four steals for William Smith, while classmate Brittany Clair (Shaker Heights/Shaker Heights, Ohio) chipped in 10 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Senior guard Erin Eaton (Sebring McKinley/Sebring, Ohio) led Elmira with 16 points and five assists.

William Smith returns to action at 6 p.m., on Jan. 21, when Skidmore visits Bristol Gym in a Liberty League match up.

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