The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team secured its first NCAA Division III Championship win since 1999-2000, defeating Skidmore College 62-60 in overtime on Friday in the Championship's First Round, hosted by Tufts University.
 
With the win, Fisher (22-6) will face off against either Tufts University (27-1)  at 5 p.m .on Saturday in the Second Round, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.

After both teams put up 51 points in regulation, the five minute overtime stanza featured five lead changes.
 
Skidmore's Lindsey Davis connected on a 3-pointer following a Mary Kate Cusack triple of her own to give the Thoroughbreds a 55-54 advantage over  a minute into the extra period.  Cusack, however, came right back with another 3-pointer to give Fisher a two point advantage at 57-55.
 
The Thoroughbreds regained the lead on consecutive possessions, in between two made free throws from Jessica Rhone.

Fisher took the lead for good on a Sydney Bloomstein jump shot with 1:14 to play, giving the Cardinals a 61-60 lead.
 
On the ensuing Skidmore possession, Cusack managed a timely steal, allowing Fisher to run the clock all the way down to :03 seconds before the Thoroughbreds were forced to foul Portia Velasco.
 
Velasco connected on 1-of-2 free throws and a last second effort by Skdimore's Molly McLaughlin clanked off the back iron from 3-point land.
 
Skidmore had the lead or at least a share of it for most of the first half.  Trailing 28-23 with over three minutes remaining Fisher used a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the game, including consecutive layups from Lunden Cunningham.  Skidmore held a 30-29 lead at the half.
 
Neither team held more than a four point advantage in the second half until Fisher built it largest lead of the game at 47-42 on a traditional three point play from Velasco with just over five minutes to play.
 
That lead didn't last long as Skidmore used a 5-0 run to knot up the game at 47.
 
Rhone, who scored a career-high 11 points, scored on a traditional three point play to push Fisher ahead 50-47 with just over three minutes remaining.
 
Skidmore scored the last four points of the half though and nearly converted a layup in the closing seconds of regulation to earn the victory.
 
Fisher shot just 27.8% (20-of-72) from the floor but converted 18-of-22 free throws (82%) to seal the win.
 
Velasco scored a team-high 17 points while Cusack finished with 13, including going 4-of-6 from 3-point land.  Bloomstein and Cunningham pulled down seven boards apiece for Fisher.  Bloomstein also finished the game with eight points.

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