The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team held on to defeat visiting Stevens Institute of Technology 49-48 tonight in an Empire 8 matchup. 

With the win, Fisher improves to 11-8 overall and 6-5 in the Empire 8 Conference, while the Ducks fall to 10-8, 7-3. 

Fisher took its first lead since the opening moments at 33-30 on a 3-pointer from Amanda Lax with 11:22 left, capping a 9-0 run. 

The Cardinals led by four at 49-45 with 16.2 seconds left after Colleen Maloney made two free throws, but the Ducks didn't go away. Brittany Fuller hit a 25-footer from the top of the key with 4.8 seconds left to make it 49-48. 

The ensuing in-bounds pass by the Cardinals went over Maloney's hands, giving Stevens the ball under Fisher's basket with 3.6 seconds left. Fuller took the ball for Stevens and pulled up for a jumper at the right elbow, but the shot failed to hit the iron as time expired. 

Fisher trailed 22-17 at intermission. Stevens used a 10-0 run over a 10:26 span to take a double-digit lead, but the Cardinals ended the half with a 7-0 run to pull within five points. 

Fisher's Kristi Jeffres led the Cardinals with a season-high 14 points and a career-high six steals. Maloney finished with 14 points, while Stephanie Sweeney added six assists. 

For Stevens, Fuller was the only player in double figures, finishing with 13 points. 

Fisher forced Stevens to shoot 24.5% from the floor, including just 19.2% (5-for-26) during the second half. Fisher shot 50% from the floor in the second half and shot 23.1% over the opening 20 minutes.
 
Fisher will return to action at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Rochester Institute of Technology. Stevens will play at Nazareth College on Saturday.