Elmira, N.Y. – The Ithaca women's basketball team (5-5, 1-0 Empire 8) opened conference play with a 68-60 win at Elmira (4-3, 0-1 Empire 8) Friday. Junior guard #Katherine Bixby# (Germantown Friends/Philadelphia, Pa,) scored 21 points and senior forward Tracy Bradley (Lewiston/Brunswick, Maine) added a career-best 20.

Ithaca scored 22 points off 23 Soaring Eagle turnovers; Bixby and Bradley each had five of the Bombers' 17 steals. The Bombers held Elmira to 30.3 shooting from the floor in the first half on their way to a 37-25 lead; Ithaca has taken a lead into halftime 130 times in the past nine years.

Sophomore forward #Elissa Klie# (Ramapo/Wyckoff, N.J.) led Ithaca with eight rebounds and senior guard #Megan Rumschik# (East Amherst/Williamsville East) pulled down a career-best seven. Klie, Rumschik and junior guard Lindsay Brown (Immaculate/Danbury, Conn.) each scored six points.

The Bombers continue Empire 8 play Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at Alfred.

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