PITTSFORD, N.Y. – For the first time in 12 years, the St. John Fisher College women's basketball team clinched the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship as the Cardinals defeated Nazareth College, 68-57, on Saturday inside Kidera Gymnasium for the team's 11th consecutive win. The victory, which marked Fisher's 15th win in its last 16 contests, moved the team to 18-5 overall and 13-1 in the Empire 8 standings while the Golden Flyers fell to 12-12 and 8-7, respectively.
Fisher, which earned the right to host the four-team Empire 8 Championship beginning February 23rd, last clinched the regular season crown during the 2005-06 season after posting a 15-0 mark in conference play.
Caroline Robertson got off to a strong start in the first quarter and Fisher jumped out to a 6-2 lead through the first four minutes of play on the strength of four free throws from Robertson. The Golden Flyers would keep pace as an old-fashioned three-point play sparked a modest 5-0 run to stake the home team to a one-point edge, but
Sydney Masna pushed Fisher ahead after hauling in an offensive rebound and laying it off the glass to make it 8-7.
From there, Fisher extended its cushion as Robertson drained two more free throws before kicking it out to
Erin Hulbert in the corner for a 3-pointer to give the Cardinals a 13-7 advantage. As the quarter continued, Nazareth would work its offense and eventually found an open 3-pointer of its own to make it 13-10 heading into the second period.
Both teams would swap baskets over the beginning of the second stanza as the lead remained in Fisher's favor until five quick points from the Golden Flyers staked Nazareth to a 23-22 cushion. The advantage would be short-lived, however, as
Liga Astra Kalnina scored six unanswered points to make it a 28-23 affair. After coming up with a stop on the defensive end of the floor, Nazareth would cut its deficit to three points after a layup, but
Alex Reigle made the most of the Cardinals' final possession of the half as the sophomore guard dished it to Robertson in the paint to give Fisher a five-point edge heading into intermission.
Coming out of the break, the Golden Flyers found their rhythm as the home team battled back to hold a slim lead, 34-32. The advantage would swap hands three more times over the next five minutes until back-to-back 3-pointers from Hulbert and
Chelsea Repard sparked a 12-0 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters to make it an 11-point contest, 54-33.
As the fourth quarter progressed, the lead remained firmly in Fisher's hands and would balloon to as many as 14 points after a jumper from Hulbert made it 61-47 with under five minutes left to play. Nazareth would climb to within eight points late in the contest, but that was as close as the Golden Flyers would come as Fisher closed out the game with six of the game's final nine points to wrap up home court advantage.
Three players notched double figures in points in the win led by
Nicole Robinson's 20 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor. The senior, who was named the Empire 8 Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Monday, also added five boards and three steals. Robertson added her second double-double of the year with 17 points, 12 boards and a team-high seven assists while Hulbert contributed 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists overall. Kalnina chipped in with six points and a team-high 13 boards.
The Cardinals will look to build on their momentum at 8 p.m. on Tuesday when they host Elmira College inside manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.
