A tight game from the opening tip ended with the Tompkins Cortland Community College women's basketball team coming up just short, falling 67-64 at Jefferson Community College Tuesday. The Mid-State Athletic Conference opener for both teams leaves the Panthers with an overall record of 4-3 overall and a mark of 4-2 in Region III. Jefferson is now 4-2 overall and in region.

The Panthers scored the first five points of the game, but Jefferson came back to move in front midway through the first quarter. The period ended with Tompkins Cortland holding an 18-16 lead, and the second quarter followed with more lead changes before Jefferson took a 36-34 lead into the halftime.

The third quarter saw Jefferson build the biggest lead of the game, a seven-point advantage at 56-49. Tompkins Cortland rallied in the final ten minutes, pulling within one at 63-62 with four minutes left, but the Panthers couldn't get back in front over the final few minutes. Trailing by four in the final minute, Taylor Day (Brooktondale/Ithaca H.S.) drove for a score to cut the deficit to 66-64, but an intentional foul call let Jefferson push the margin to 67-64 with a free throw. A steal on the ensuing possession gave the Panthers one final chance, but the shot wouldn't fall, leaving the final score 67-64.

Day finished the game with a team-high 20 points. Jaida Washington (Elmira/Elmira H.S.) had a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds while also blocking 5 shots. MacKenzie Kenyon (Ovid/South Seneca H.S.) had 11 points to go with 7 steals, and 2 assists and Reyanah Brown (Syracuse/Syracuse Academy of Science) grabbed a team-best 16 rebounds.

The Panthers play at Mohawk Valley Community College Saturday.