PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Two fourth quarter goals did the trick for the St. John Fisher College field hockey squad on Wednesday night as the Cardinals grabbed a 2-0 win at Growney Stadium over the Nazareth College Golden Flyers to open up their Empire 8 Conference schedule. The Cardinals even up their overall season record at 3-3 and move to 1-0 in conference play while the Golden Flyers were handed their first Empire 8 setback and moved to 2-3 on the year and 1-1 within conference.
 
The East Avenue rivals battled it out in the midfield for the majority of the first half, as the Cardinals maintained possession on their half of the center line. Fisher's rotating back line of Selena Emery, Abby Harris, Abby Richardson, and Sarah Woods did not allow the visitor to take a single shot in the first 30 minutes of play, while the Fisher offense came close to connecting nine times.
 
Nazareth came out strong following the intermission as they were awarded a penalty corner just a minute in. Nine minutes later, the visitors came flying back to take advantage of a fast break opportunity, but Cardinals' goalkeeper Sophia Trozzi met a forward about 15 yards out to stop the attempt right in its tracks.
 
The keeper's game-saving play lit a fire under the offense, as Fisher was awarded a corner of their own three minutes into the fourth quarter. On the insert from Audrey Grieb, Gianna Palma lined up at the top of the circle and sent a rocket through the defense which stung the back of the cage. The senior's second goal of the year put the Cardinals at a goal advantage, but they weren't done just yet.
 
Fisher continued to dominate possession as time trickled away, but with less that two minutes remaining in the contest, Bre Socker found herself open about 10 yards away from the opponent's net. The graduate student sent a ball into a mess of players from both teams, but Emma Cooper made a perfect connection on the right side to score her third goal of the season and seal the two-goal victory.
 
Of the Cardinals' 18 shots over the course of the game, Socker owned five, while Molly Fisher tallied four and Cooper took three. Palma and Choate followed up with two attempts each and Alyssa Andres and Taylor Scrocca took one apiece.
 
Although the box score doesn't say it, Trozzi was undoubtedly the home squad's hero. The sophomore keeper logged all 60 minutes between the pipes and made saves on Nazareth's two shots.
 
Fisher will take this win's momentum into Sunday's matchup with the nation's top-ranked team, Middlebury College, as they take on the Panthers at Growney Stadium at noon.