Women's Basketball | 2/11/2022 7:13:00 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College women's basketball team clinched at least a share of the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship on Friday night after surging past Keuka College, 72-35, in a conference tilt inside Manning and Napier Varsity Gymnasium on Bobby Wanzer Court. With the win, the Cardinals, who are ranked 23rd in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, improved to 21-2 overall and 13-1 in the league standings while the Wolves fell to 1-20 overall and 0-13 in Empire 8 play.
After closing out the second quarter on a 9-3 run, Fisher began the third period holding a 14-point cushion. Leading 29-15, the Cardinals scored nine of the quarter's first 15 points to extend their advantage to 18 with just under six minutes showing on the clock.
From there, head coach
Melissa Kuberka's squad closed out the frame with 13 of the final 17 points to hold a commanding 51-26 edge with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Holding a 25-point cushion, the Cardinals continued to find space and used a 20-4 run to open up their largest lead of the game, 71-30, before the final horn sounded.
Claire Kruszka led all scorers with 13 points to go along with four assists and three boards while Kaitlyn Walker netted her ninth double-double of the season in just 17 minutes after accounting for 11 points and 11 rebounds. Sidney Tomasso finished with 10 points and seven rebounds while Katie Moravec posted eight points and two dimes off the bench. Lauren Nawojski and Anna Milham each scored six points in the win while Leah Koonmen contributed six points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.
As a team, Fisher was 30-for-72 (.417) from the floor. The team had 52 rebounds overall including 25 on the offensive glass.
The Cardinals are back in action at 2 p.m. on Saturday when they travel to Utica to take on the Pioneers in another Empire 8 showdown. A win coupled with a Hartwick loss would clinch the Regular Season Championship outright for the Cardinals.