PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team improved to 7-3 on the season as the Cardinals defeated visiting Houghton College, 57-52, on Friday night in their Empire 8 debut inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.  With the decision, Fisher improved to 1-0 in the conference standings while the Highlanders slipped to 7-3 overall and 0-1 against Empire 8 opposition.  
 
After falling behind by three points leading into the second quarter, Fisher quickly evened things up as Mallory Wood found Olivia Baumann on the wing for a 3-pointer to knot things up at 14-14.  As the period wore on, the Highlanders would open up a four-point lead, but the momentum shifted as Fisher put together nine unanswered points including back-to-back lay-ins from Wood to hold a 25-20 edge with 1:38 left to play before the break.

Trailing by five, Houghton worked the ball inside and cut it to a one-possession game before Elle Lazore hoisted up a deep 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to stake the Cardinals to a six-point cushion at halftime, 29-23.

As the third quarter got underway, offense was at a premium as neither team was able to find much of a groove.  The Fisher lead dwindled to a single point late in the quarter until the Cardinals scored six unanswered points highlighted by consecutive baskets from Sydney Masna to head into the final frame with a 41-36 advantage.

Both teams continued to swap baskets as the fourth quarter commenced with the Cardinals growing their lead to 10 points, 51-41, courtesy of an 8-2 run that ate up nearly two minutes of clock.  With just under five minutes left to go, Houghton made its move as the Highlanders went on a 7-0 run over the final 1:23, but the lead proved to be too great as the Cardinals held on for their first conference win of the season.

Lazore set the tone with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting including three from behind the arc.  Senior Erin Hulbert stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of eight points, a game-high 14 rebounds, four assists and a steal.  Masna finished with seven points in the win while Miranda Lynch posted six points in all.  Julia Mertsock and Ella Eckert made their season debuts as the duo combined to produce 10 boards and nine points in all.

Fisher will be back in action at 2 p.m. on Saturday when it welcomes Hartwick College to campus for an Empire 8 pairing on Bobby Wanzer Court.