Fisher Comes Up Just Short In NCAAs
St. John Fisher College nearly overcame a double-digit in the fourth quarter, but couldn't complete the comeback, as the Cardinals dropped an 81-72 decision to host Muhlenberg College on Friday night in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.
With the loss, Fisher finishes its season with an overall record of 22-5. It is the second straight year the Cardinals have reached the national playoffs and 16
th time in the program's history.
Playing in her final game, senior
Mary Kate Cusack tallied 17 points and four steals. She finishes her career with 1,523 points, good for fourth place overall and second all-time at the College in 3-pointers and steals.
Emily Piacentini scored a career-high 20 points, including 15 points in the four quarter, while senior
Bridget Carney, also playing in her final game in a Fisher uniform, recorded her first career double-double, totaling 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.
Trailing 33-30 at the half, Fisher took its first lead of the day with 7:11 left in the third on two free throws from Carney to put Fisher up 36-35. Just over two minutes later, Cusack's driving layup gave the Cardinals a 41-40 advantage, but Muhlenberg (25-2) used a 9-0 run late in the quarter to match their biggest lead of the game at 58-46 with 10 seconds left in the third.
The Cardinals, however, would not pack it in. Fisher went on 15-5 run midway through the fourth quarter with Piacentini scored 13 of her team's points during the pivotal run. A 3-pointer from the junior, followed by a coast-to-coast layup with 3:59 left, knotted the game at 65s.
The Mules, however, would regain the lead on the ensuing possession and squelched they potential comeback by shooting 7-of-8 from the foul line in the final two minutes.
Fisher didn't get off to the start it was looking for, making just one of its first 10 shots from the floor and trailed 19-10 after the opening quarter, while shooting just 12.5% (2-of-16) over the first 10 minutes.
The Cardinals got things going in the second quarter, scoring 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions early in the period (one each from Cusack,
Maria Kelleher and Mackenzie Bezon) to make it 24-19 with 7:42 left in the half. The Cardinals trailed 33-25 late in the quarter, but a 5-0 spurt in the final minute made it a one-possession game at 33-30 at the half.