Box Score

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team (13-2, 5-1 Empire 8) suffered its first conference loss of the season, a 63-59 decision to host St. John Fisher (7-10, 4-4 Empire 8) on Friday night.

The Cardinals snapped Ithaca's eight-game winning streak, outscoring the Bombers 32-28 in the second half after a 31-31 halftime deadlock.

Junior Jenn Escobido led the game with 17 points on 8-for-12 shooting and classmate Kathryn Campbell added 15 points, six assists and six boards. Sophomore Samantha Klie, making her first collegiate start, had a career- and game-high seven rebounds. She added a career-best four steals. Escobido and junior Mary Kate Tierney each had three. Senior Devin Shea had four blocks to add to her eight points.

The Bombers dominated play early, holding the lead the entire first half, until a buzzer-beating Cardinal three-pointer knotted action at 31-31 entering halftime. Ithaca used a 7-0 run to power ahead over the first 1:29 of action and thrice increased the gap to nine points. Trailing 27-18 at 5:49, St. John Fisher weakened the Bomber lead with a 13-4 run down the stretch, highlighted by a trio of treys.

The second half featured five lead changes. The Cardinals carried their momentum into the second half, controlling play during the first five minutes of the stint, but a 13-0 run put the Blue & Gold comfortably ahead, 50-40, at 10:49. Fisher crept within five at 6:48. Ithaca scored its final field goal at the six-minute mark. The Cardinals held the Bombers to four free throws, while recording 15 of their own points to secure the victory, 63-59.

The Bombers shot a cold 7-for-15 from the charity stripe.

Ithaca shot 46.2 percent from the floor to the Cardinals' 41.4 percent, though Fisher held a 38-29 advantage on the boards.

The Bombers travel to Alfred for a 2 p.m. match Saturday.