ROCHESTER, N.Y.Down by 18 with 9:30 left in the first half, Union rallied to take 55-52 lead with 9:01 left to play only to miss a three-point basket at the buzzer and drop a 73-70 decision to top-rated St. John Fisher in the championship game of the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Upstate New York women's basketball championship.

The Dutchwomen, who had not gotten out of the first round in two previous ECAC tournaments, ended another outstanding season with an overall record of 19-8.

"The kids really battled back in the second half and showed what we and this program are made of," said 10^th year head coach Mary Ellen Burt, who has led the Dutchwomen into three consecutive postseason berths.  "We tried to feel them (St. John Fisher) out a little too much in the first half and didn't attack as much as we should have.  Our perimeter shots didn't fall and they shot very well.  We made adjustments in the second half, got into the flow of the game, and gave them a run for their money."

Union, which trailed 37-25 at the half and 45-31 with 17:00 left, took control of the game by outscoring St. John Fisher 24-4 over the next six minutes to take its first lead of the game, 55-52 on a three-point field goal by junior guard Erica Eisenhut.  Senior guard Melissa Marra started the run with a three-point basket then became the eighth member of the Dutchwomen's 1,000-Point Club when she hit a jumper with 15:38 remaining.

Eisenhut, who had nine of her game-high 22 points during the spree, then buried a three to pull Union to within 48-39.  After a pair of Cardinal free throws, senior forward Emily Scott scored a jumper before classmate, forward Katlyn Cunningham netted three points on a jumper an free throw to bring the Garnet to within six, 50-44.

Two more Cardinal free throws preceded 11-straight points by the Dutchwomen, which included a three-pointer by Eisenhut, a turn-around jumper by Cunningham, a layup by Scott a free throw by Marra and another tres by Eisenhut that gave Union the lead.

St. John Fisher regained its composure and scored nine of the game's next 11 points to go up 61-57 with 4:53 to play before a free throw by junior forward Courtney Shepard and a rebound by Eisenhut that produced an Eisenhut tres off a Marra feed tied the game at 61.  Two free throws by the Cardinals and basket by Scott off an offensive rebound tied the game at 63 with 3:45 remaining. 

The Cardinals used a pair of offensive rebounds and some clutch free throw shooting to win the game over the final 2:32. 

Kelli Nash's reverse layup started an 8-2 run that sparked the Cardinals' victory.  Jen Lardo's offensive rebound produced a three-point basket by Kathy Baum that have SJF a 67-63 advantage with 1:53 left before Cunningham's layup with 1:38 showing brought Union two within two.  Lardo then put the icing on the cake for the Cardinals when she came up with another big offensive rebound which produced Baum's second three-point bomb for a 70-65 Fisher advantage with 59 seconds on the clock.

Union missed a pair of layup attempts with 45 seconds showing and sent Baum to the line where she hit the front end of a one-and-one with 42 seconds left to make it 71-65.  Cunningham's layup with 33 ticks remaining made it 71-67, but Baum again took advantage of her two charity shots for a 73-67 SJF advantage with 29 seconds showing.  Marra pulled the Dutchwomen back to within three with the final points of her outstanding career with 15 seconds left and Union had a chance to tie the game after the Cards' long outlet pass went out of bounds with 12.3 seconds showing.

Eisenhut brought the ball up court where the Dutchwomen called time out with 6.9 seconds showing to set up the tying field goal.  However, the Garnet's final shot of the season went off the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded.  

Marra finished with 14 points for the Dutchwomen while Cunningham contributed 11.  Besides being the game's leading scorer, Eisenhut handed out four assists, came up with five steals and pulled down three rebounds.  Scott led Union on the boards with six to go along with her eight points.

The Cardinals, who finish 25-5, were led by Adria Matonak's 17 points while Baum, who was named the event's Most Valuable Player, added 13 with Nash finishing with 10 markers.

"This is another stepping stone for this program," said Burt.  "We had never played in a championship game other than last year's Liberty League tournament and the experience that our returning players gained will be helpful as we look to take the next step in 2005-06. 

"We had a shot to win it at the end and I couldn't be prouder of the way we responded to the challenges that this game, and this season, presented.  It speaks well of the state of our program and the women in it."