ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team was unable to hold on to a fourth quarter lead as the Cardinals saw their six-game winning streak come to an end after falling at Nazareth College, 48-45, in a defensive battle inside Kidera Gymnasium.  With the loss, Fisher moved to 13-5 overall and 6-1 in the conference standings while the Golden Flyers improved to 12-6 and 4-3, respectively.

After a sluggish first half of play that saw the two teams combine for just 39 points, Fisher saw its lead slip away in the opening minutes of the third period after Nazareth scored the quarter's first four points and took a 22-21 lead.  Trailing by one, the Cardinals regained their footing with a 7-1 run that featured four points from Ella Eckert to open up a 29-23 edge.  Nazareth would cut the gap to four points with 37 seconds showing on the clock before a free throw from Leah Koonmen staked the visitors to a five-point cushion heading into the final frame.

Leading 30-25 with 10 minutes to go, Fisher maintained control over the first six minutes of the period and led by three, 38-35, with 3:57 remaining in the content.  From there, however, the Cardinals managed just four points over the next 3:27 as Nazareth took advantage and forged ahead by five, 47-42, after scoring 12 of the period's next 16 points. 

Trailing by two possessions, Fisher pulled to within two points after Miranda Lynch drained a 3-pointer, but that was as close as the Cardinals would get as Fisher had its final attempt to tie the game blocked away as the final horn sounded.

Eckert, the reigning Empire 8 Player of the Week, notched her sixth double-double of the season with a team-high 14 points and 12 rebounds while Lynch finished with nine points and four boards.  Julia Mertsock contributed eight points in the loss while Harper Mead, who was named the conference's Rookie of the Week on Monday, finished with four points and six rebounds in all.

The Cardinals will look to get back on track at 7:30 p.m. on Friday when they host Houghton College in an Empire 8 bout inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court.