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PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Visiting Nazareth led by as many as 10 points in the first half at St. John Fisher Friday, but the Cardinals rallied to defeat the Golden Flyers, 66-57, in an Empire 8 Conference women's basketball game.
It marked Fisher's second victory of the season over the Golden Flyers, who dropped to 8-14 overall and 2-9 in conference games. Fisher improved to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in the Empire 8. Nazareth plays again Saturday at Elmira at 4 p.m.
Sophomore
Veronica Peck scored 13 points for Nazareth and sophomore
Julia Brew added 11. Fisher's Mary Kate Cusack led all scorers with 31 points.
Nazareth got off to a good start thanks to nine first-half points from Brew, who connected on three three-pointers. Nazareth had leads of 18-8 and 21-12 before Fisher rallied to take a 26-23 lead at halftime as Cusack scored 12 of her points. Nazareth led 21-12 following a three-pointer by Brew with 8:06 left, but Fisher scored 13 straight points -- including eight in a row by Cusack -- to take the lead at 25-21 with 2:05 to go in the half. Meanwhile Nazareth had a scoring drought that lasted nearly eight minutes until a basket by
Melissa Reeves in the closing minute ended the dry spell.
In the second half, Nazareth rallied to take a brief lead, 35-34, as
Hannah Runyon hit a three-pointer with 13:12 to go. Cusack answered for Fisher by hitting a pair of three-pointers of her own as Fisher regained the lead at 40-37 with 11:15 left and the Cardinals never trailed thereafter. Cusack's second trey triggered a 14-point scoring run that ended with the Cardinals ahead 51-37.
Anna Wicks and Peck each made three-pointers for Nazareth as the Golden Flyers closed to within 51-43, but Fisher stayed ahead making free throws. Cusack made four in the closing minutes, while Claire Walsh, Brook Seavitt and Sydney Bloomstein each hit a pair.
Nazareth went 23 for 53 from the field with 10 three-point baskets. Fisher shot 21 for 56 with just two three-pointers. The Cardinals, however, went 22 for 25 from the foul line (88 percent).
