The St. John Fisher College women's basketball program dropped a 45-40 decision to Catholic University of America in the opening round of the Emmanuel College Tip-Off Classic.   

Fisher will now face Heidelberg College at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the consolation game.

Fisher trailed for most of the game.  Catholic jumped out to 12-4 lead early in the first quarter, but Fisher answered with a 5-0 spurt in the final moments of the stanza to make it 12-9 after one.

Fisher took its only lead of the game at 14-13 on a 3-pointer from Caroline Robertson with 7:38 remaining in the second quarter.  

Catholic, who led 24-18 at the half, took its largest lead of the game at 35-21 with three minutes left in the third.   Fisher chipped away at the lead throughout the fourth quarter, pulling to within one point at 41-40 with 3:43 left on a jumper from Maria Kelleher, but failed to score after that.

Fisher shot just 25% from the floor as a team, with freshman Liga Kalnina leading the way with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting.  

Emily Piacentini added nine points as well, while leading the team with five assists and four steals.   Robertson finished with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.