PITTSFORD, N.Y. –  Houghton women's basketball took its third straight conference win, 58-55, against the St. John Fisher Cardinals on the road Friday night.
 
After tying the game 8-8 earlier in the first quarter, the Highlanders slowly started to pull away with a layup made by Madison Detwiler extending their lead by five points. The Cardinals ended the quarter with a free-throw cutting Houghton's lead to four points, 15-11.
 
Both teams seemed to struggle to find the basket in the second quarter only adding eight points each to the score. The Highlanders led the Cardinals 23-19 at the half.
 
On an 8-1 run early in the third quarter, the Highlanders extended their lead to 11 points aided by a couple of three-pointers from junior guard Brittany Lenart and sophomore guard Cori Beck. St. John Fisher was able to close within six points by the end of the quarter and trailed 41-35.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Highlanders found comfort in a 10-point spread at the 4:10 mark. But the Cardinals were able to chip away at the Highlanders' lead. A pair of free throws from the Cardinals' Caroline Robertson at the 2:34 mark created a three-point game. Ten seconds later a steal and layup put the Cardinals within one-point with 2:24 left in the quarter. After shooting 6-for-6 from the line during the last two minutes of the quarter, the Highlanders were able to hold on for the win.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Score: Houghton – 58 | St. John Fisher – 55
Records: Houghton – 8-6 (4-1 Empire 8) | St. John Fisher – 7-5 (2-1 Empire 8)
Venue: Manning & Napier Varsity Gym, Pittsford, N.Y. | Attendance: 219
  
NOTABLE STATS
>> The Highlanders had three starters scoring in double figures, led by Lenart with 15 points, followed by Beck and Detwiler with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
 
>> Olivia Baumann led the Cardinals with 13 points followed by Caroline Robertson with 12.
 
>> Houghton out-rebounded St. John Fisher 40-36 with Beck grabbing seven boards, followed by Emily Swanson with six.

UP NEXT
Houghton is back in action Saturday at 4 p.m in Rochester to take on the Nazareth Golden Flyers.