PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team traded punches with Nazareth for three quarters but couldn't erase an early hole, falling 70–58 in the first day of the Mark's Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout at host St. John Fisher. 

Emilia Rojik was perfect from the field, going 7-for-7 to finish with a team-high 17 points and four rebounds. Sophie Costello added 14 points with a pair of threes, and Niamh Gendron chipped in eight points and a team-best six boards.

After Nazareth pushed ahead 20–10 through ten minutes, RPI surged in the second quarter. Costello picked off a pass and scored in transition, buried a right-wing three minutes later, and Gendron splashed from deep to trim the margin. Rojik then strung together a flurry in the final minute to send the Engineers into halftime within 36–30.

Some early second-half baskets allowed the Engineers to cut the deficit to four, however that would be the closest RPI would manage following 50% shooting from Nazareth across the final two quarters.

RPI finished 39.3% from the floor and 35.3% from three (6-of-17). Defensively, the Engineers turned 12 steals into 18 points off turnovers, and got 24 points from the bench. Brooke Boyle led RPI with four steals, while Gendron had three swipes.

The Engineers will finish their weekend with a 5:00 pm tilt against tournament host St. John Fisher.