ROCHESTER, NY – The host St. John Fisher Cardinals used a big first quarter to propel them past Hartwick's women's basketball team on Friday night at Manning & Napier Gym in Rochester, 79-59. The Cardinals out-scored the Hawks by a 23-7 margin in the quarter.
           
Hartwick's record now stands at 9-14 overall and 7-8 in Empire 8 play. Fisher improves to 21-3 and 14-1.
           
Senior Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) paced Hartwick with a team-high 22 points. She also tied for a team-best with six rebounds. Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) and Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) each added eight points for the Hawks.
           
Hartwick would struggle in the opening quarter as it made one of its first eight shots to go along with six turnovers in the first 7:13 as the Cardinals jumped out to an 18-2 advantage.
           
An 8-0 run to start the second quarter for the Hawks trimmed the gap to eight, 23-15, following two straight Vonasek layups. The Fisher lead would hover around 10 points for the remainder of the half before the Cardinals took a 34-21 lead into the break.
           
Two straight Hartwick baskets to begin the second half would make it a 34-25 Fisher advantage after 1:35. The Cardinals would get the next eight points, however, to increase the margin. The Hawks would cut it to 11 points late in the third before a Fisher three-pointer with under 10 seconds left would push its lead to 14 points, 52-38.
           
After gaining a 19-point lead in the fourth period, Hartwick responded with a 10-2 spurt to trim the gap to 11 with 6:35 remaining. The Cardinals would get the next seven points and they led by at least 17 points the rest of the night.
           
Hartwick would end up shooting 43.8% (21-for-48) from the floor in the contest. Fisher would make 42.6% (26-for-61).
           
Stone contributed five rebounds and a team-high five assists for the Hawks. Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) added seven points and six boards.
           
Jessica Bellai (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) scored six points and Carly Johnson (Greenville, NY/Greenville Central) contributed five.   
           
The Cardinals were led by Mary Kate Cusack's 24 points. She made five three-point baskets in the game. Emily Piacentini added 19 points and Caroline Robertson scored 13 points off the bench.
           
Hartwick will close out its season tomorrow at Ithaca College. The Hawks and Bombers tip-off at 4 p.m.