PITTSFORD, N.Y. – In a game that lived up to its billing, the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team outlasted The Sage Colleges in overtime, 75-70, on Friday in an Empire 8 clash inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the win, Fisher, which has now won six straight games and 10 of its last 11, improved to 13-5 on the season and extended its lead in the Empire 8 standings at 8-1.  Sage fell to 12-5 overall and 6-2 against conference competition.

Fisher sprinted out to an early lead in the first quarter as the Cardinals scored seven unanswered points including four from senior Caroline Robertson to hold a 7-0 edge.  Not to be outdone, however, Sage countered with a run of its own and produced an 11-2 rally that ate up over three minutes of play to hold a one possession lead, 11-9. 

Both teams jockeyed for the lead as the period wore on with the Nicole Robinson staking Fisher to a 15-12 cushion before a Gators' 3-pointer from the corner knotted the score at 15-15 heading into the second stanza.

From there, the Cardinals reclaimed the lead, but Sage battled back to tie the game on two different occasions.  With the score standing at 25-25 and just over four minutes still showing on the clock, Robertson went to work and scored six straight points as Fisher outscored its guest 11-4 to close out the first half with a 36-29 lead at halftime.

The Cardinals continued to click as the third quarter got underway with Erin Hulbert and Alex Reigle combining to produce five points as the home team held a 10-point margin, 41-31.  As play continued, Sage found its groove with the Gators battling back to tie the contest at 43-43 courtesy of a 12-2 run over the next five minutes of play.  Fisher pivoted with five quick points including a 3-pointer from Reigle to halt the bleeding and head to the fourth with a 51-49 edge.

As the fourth got underway, neither team was willing to give an inch as both traded baskets down the stretch.  The lead would change hands six times in a span of eight minutes until the Cardinals took a two-point lead on a free throw from Robertson.  Trailing by a basket with time working against it, Sage called a timeout to draw up a final play before knocking down a contested jumper to send the game into overtime. 

In the extra period, Sage struck first with a deep 3-pointer, but Fisher kept pace as Hulbert answered back with a three of her own.  After a layup by Robinson made it 70-68 in the Cardinals' favor, Sage would work the ball around the horn before finding an open layup to even things up at 70-70.  From there though, the Gators couldn't come up with a timely stop as Fisher scored the final five points of the game to preserve the win. 

Hulbert, the reigning Empire 8 Player of the Week, paced Fisher with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.  Robertson added 17 points and seven boards of her own in the win while Robinson matched her season-high with 16 points and three blocked shots.  Freshman Sydney Masna contributed 11 points and six boards in 42 minutes while Reigle had eight points in all.

Fisher controlled the glass in the triumph and out-rebounded Sage 43-37 including 19 on the offensive end of the floor.  The Cardinals forced the Gators into 20 turnovers overall and came away with 10 steals.

St. John Fisher will look to continue is run through the Empire 8 at 4 p.m. on Saturday when it hosts Utica College inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium.