Sophomore Amanda Lax made the second of two free throws with no time left on the clock to give the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team a 58-57 win over visiting Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday at Fisher's Bobby Wanzer Court at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym.

 

Fisher led 10-9 with 11:20 left in the first half, but went on a 14-2 run over the next six minutes to take a 24-11 lead and led 34-21 at intermission. Fisher controlled the glass in the first half, out-rebounding the Ducks 24-15 and forced Stevens to shoot just 25% from the floor over the opening 20 minutes.

 

The Ducks, however, did not go away. Fisher led 49-40 with 9:11 left, but the Ducks responded with a  15-0 run over the next 5:36 and took a six-point led 55-49 on Dani Dudek's lay up with 3:49 remaining.

 

The Cardinals responded with a 6-0 run and took a 56-55 lead on a 3-pointer from Colleen Maloney with 1:56 left. Stephanie Sweeney pushed Fisher's lead to two at 57-55 with 18.7 seconds left by making one of two free throws, but Stevens guard Melissa Collier scooped up a loose ball in the lane and made a short jumper with 3.8 seconds left tying the game at 57.

 

On Fisher's final possession, Maloney inbounded the ball and heaved an overhand pass to Lax, who caught the ball at the top of the opposite key. Lax missed a short jumper, but got her own rebound before heading to the line with time expired. Her first shot just grazed the right side of the rim, but her second attempt was nothing but net.

 

“This was obviously a big win for us,” said head coach Marianne O'Connor Ermi. “We played well for most of the game, and when we struggled a little, our players regained their composure and battled back to get a big win.”