BOX SCORE

The St. John Fisher College women's lacrosse team opened the game with a 5-0 run and never looked back, as the Cardinals cruised to 13-4 win over visiting Utica College on Saturday afternoon. 

With the win, Fisher improves to 8-2 overall and 2-0 in the Empire 8 Conference, while the Pioneers, who are enjoying the best start to a season in their program's history, fall to 6-2, 1-1.

Fisher, currently one of three teams receiving votes in the national coaches poll, took the lead for good just 12 seconds into the game as senior All-American Melissa Leonhard won the opening draw and took it to the goal, scoring her 31^st goal of the season.

Fisher scored the next four goals as well and didn't allow the Pioneers to score for the game's first 24 minutes.   The Cardinals two more goals late in the first half, including a shot from Emily Bryerton as the buzzer sounded to give Fisher the 7-1 lead at intermission.

Fisher extended its lead to 8-1 before Utica scored three of the next four goals to make it 9-4 with just over 10 minutes left.  The Cardinals, however, scored four unanswered, including two in an 11-second span, to pull away.

The trio of Taylor Hughes, Samantha Barton and Leonhard combined for 11 goals, nine draw controls, nine ground balls and three assists.  Hughes tallied four goals and two assists, while scooping up three ground balls.  Barton scored three of her four goals in the second half and won a team-high four draws, while Leonhard finished with three goals, three draw controls and a team-high three caused turnovers.

Chrissy Cook also scored in the win, while Erin Ward picked up an assist.

Goalie Caroline Trpcevski stopped two shots to earn the win in goal.

Fisher will return to action at 1 p.m. on Sunday and will host Ithaca College in a pivotal Empire 8 matchup.  Ithaca defeated Fisher last year during the regular season, but the Cardinals returned the favor in the Empire 8 Conference Championship game, with Fisher rallying for a 9-7 win.  The victory earned Fisher an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship.