PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Three players scored in double figures as the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team overcame a 16-point halftime deficit in a 63-56 win over rival Nazareth College on Thursday night inside Kidera Gymnasium.  With the win, Fisher improved to 8-9 overall and 5-3 in the Empire 8 standings while the Golden Flyers fell to 7-10 on the season and 3-5 against conference opponents.

It was a tale of two halves on Thursday as the Cardinals found themselves trailing by five points, 17-12, at the end of the first quarter.  Fisher's struggled crossed into the second stanza as it mustered only one point over 6:36 of play while the Golden Flyers scored 10 straight points to build an 18-point edge, 31-13.  Chelsea Repard provided a spark for the Cardinals down the stretch with six consecutive points, but Nazareth took a 16-point lead into its locker room at the half, 35-19.

The break in action allowed Fisher to shake off its first half woes as the Cardinals controlled the tempo in the third quarter from the get-go.  Caroline Robertson scored just 13 seconds in the frame to jump start a 9-2 run to bring Fisher to within nine points, 37-28, with eight minutes still showing on the clock.  After a pair of free throws by Nazareth pushed the lead back to 11, Fisher continued to roll with another 9-2 run to make it a four-point game, 41-37, and eventually came to within one before another free throw staked the home team to a two-point lead heading into the fourth despite being outscored by 14 points in the third.

 After exchanging baskets to start the final period, Fisher took the lead for good with 4:58 left in the game as Nicole Robinson found Alyssa Robens inside to give the Cardinals there first lead since the 5:38 mark of the opening quarter.  Robens bucket was the beginning of the end for Nazareth as Fisher reeled off nine unanswered points and held the Golden Flyers scoreless for over four minutes as the Cardinals earned their fifth conference win of the season.

Emily Piacentini led all scorers with 18 points in 39 minutes of action.  The senior guard also had seven rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists in the win.  Robertson finished with 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting to go along with five boards of her own while Repard notched a career-high with 11 points.  Jessica Rhone pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds.

The Cardinals were efficient from the floor shooting 25-of-56 (.446).  Defensively, the team forced Nazareth into 20 turnovers.

Fisher will continue its three-game road trip at 2 p.m. on Saturday when it travels to Ithaca to square off with the Bombers in an Empire 8 tilt.