UTICA, NY – A dominant second quarter kick-started the Houghton Highlanders, as they defeated the SUNY Poly Wildcats for their fifth straight Empire 8 victory, 87-45.
 
The Highlanders, who led by only five points after the first quarter, outscored the Wildcats, 24-6, over the second 10 minutes, opening up the game.  Houghton would continue to separate throughout.
 
Crysta LaCrosse led a quartet of double-digit scorers with 20 points and seven rebounds.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 87 | SUNY Poly – 45
Records: Houghton: 16-4 (8-4 Empire 8) | SUNY Poly: 5-15 (2-10 Empire 8) 
Venue: Campus Center Gymnasium, SUNY Polytechnical Institute| Attendance: 88

NOTABLE STATS
>> Houghton forced 26 Poly turnovers, while committing only 15, and outshot the Wildcats, 47%-to-24%.
 
>> LaCrosse now has 1,120 career points and is only 31 points away from 10^th place-holder, Amee Fells (1995-99), on the all-time Houghton scoring board. 
 
The Houghton career leader in assists, LaCrosse added three more to her tally, giving her 412, tying her with Dani Dudek (Stevens, 2007-09) for fourth-place in Empire 8 history.
 
She also now has 548 career rebounds, only 26 behind Houghton's 10^th-place holder, Jacki Carlson (1987-89).  Only one other player in Houghton history (Wendy Ivey, 1997-01) ranks in the top-10 in career points, rebounds and assists.
 
>> Hannah Farley, Tabitha DeVries, and Olivia Simser scored 13, 12 and 10 points apiece, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders will stay overnight in Utica and travel across town tomorrow to take on the Utica University Pioneers at 2:00 p.m.