MEDFORD, MA. – The St. John Fisher University women's basketball team opened its 2023-24 season on Sunday with a 80-59 defeat at No. 4 rated Tufts.

The Cardinals played the Jumbos tough, leading Tufts with 17-16 two minutes left in the first quarter and trailing only 31-28 with just under three-and-a-half minutes left in the second, but the homestanding Tufts squad eventually pulled away for the victory. 

Junior guard Sidney Tomasso led the Cardinals with 15 points and also had nine rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Freshman forward Joleen Lusk scored 12 points in her collegiate debut, in addition to five rebounds.

Fisher was outshot 32-19 from the field and 5-4 from beyond the arc, but outdid the Jumbos at the foul line, 17-21 (81.0%) to 11-19 (57.9%). 

The Cardinals return to the Rochester area for the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout starting Thursday, Nov. 16. Their first game will be against RIT at 6 p.m. at Nazareth University.