In a battle of unbeaten teams, the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team defeated the College at Brockport 87-78 in its opening game of the Wendy's College Classic on Tuesday at Nazareth College.

With the win, Fisher, the tournament's No. 4 seed, improves to 5-0, while the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles fall to 2-1.    The Cardinals will now face No. 1 Roberts Wesleyan College at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the University of Rochester.  It is the 19th time in the tournament's 23-year history that Fisher has made it to the semifinals.  Roberts made 12 3-pointers and defeated William Smith College 81-68 in other opening-round action.
 
It is the best start to a season by Fisher in 10 years.
 
The Cardinals, ranked 28th in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, took advantage of a slow start from Brockport starting the game with a five-point lead as McKenzie Bezon notched an early 3-pointer in the first minute of play. Brockport would not score until the three-minute mark but would take the lead with 49 seconds remaining in the first quarter at 16-15.
 
Brockport took an 18-15 lead early in the second quarter – its last lead of the game – as Fisher rallied.  A layup from Emily Piacentini less than a minute into the second quarter gave Fisher the lead for good at 19-18 and helped spark a 24-5 run over the opening 6:30 of the second quarter to give her team its biggest lead of the night at 39-23.
 
Following a scoreless first period, senior Mary Kate Cusack scored 15 of her team-high 27 points in the second quarter to give the Cardinals a 46-34 lead at the half.
 
Brockport hung with the Cardinals through the second half and cut Fisher's lead down to four points with just over three minutes left. 
 
Fisher, however, responded.   Nicole Robinson's layup with 2:29 left snapped a 9-0 run by the Golden Eagles. Cusack came up with a steal and traditional three-point-play moments later to put the Cardinals in control for good.
 
Four players finished in double figures for Fisher.   Robinson tallied 13 points and five rebounds, while Bezon totaled 11 points and led her team in both rebounds (eight) and assists (four).
 
Caroline Robertson chipped in with 10 points, while Piacentini and Maria Kelleher each tallied nine.

Freshman Erin Hulbert also finished with four assists, while Bridget Carney collected five points.