Pleasantville, N.Y. - It was a complete team effort for the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team on Monday afternoon as the Spartans defeated the Pace University Setters at the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Health, Fitness and Recreation Center in Westchester County.

STAC improves to 12-5 overall, while Pace falls to 7-10 on the season.

Erin Leary led the way for the Spartans, recording 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Alexa Huertas (10 points) and Julia Reggio (10 points) also scored in double-figures.

STAC shot 50.0 percent from the field (24-48), while Pace shot 35.9 percent (23-64) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight different players recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Angelique Holguin and Alexa Huertas led the Spartans with two assists each on the day.
• Erin Leary made 6 of her 13 field goal attempts, while Julia Reggio went 3-of-4 from the floor.
• STAC out rebounded Pace 36-34, with Erin Leary posting a game-high 13 boards .
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up five steals in the contest, with the Setters turning the ball over on 13 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in four team statistical categories over Pace: Points off Turnovers (10-9), Points in the Paint (34-22), Fastbreak Points (2-0) and Bench Points (22-5).

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Spartans raced out to an early 9-0 lead on the strength of baskets from Erin Leary, Angelique Holguin and Alexa Huertas over the first 2:56 of first quarter action.
• Trailing 14-7, Pace battled back with a 9-3 run of their own to get within one at 17-16 with two minute to play in the frame.
• A 5-0 streak by the Spartans closed the scoring in the stanza and gave the maroon and gold the 22-16 advantage through 10 minutes.
• The Spartans suffocating defensive play only allowed eight second quarter points by the opposition, while Alexa Huertas, Julia Reggio, Melissa Alifano, Kaitlyn Watrobski, Trinity Cheatom and Megan Fedor led the offense with 15 points to expand the visitor's lead to 13, 37-24 at halftime.
• Erin Leary led all scorers with nine first-half points for the Spartans, while Arianna Stockinger and Lauren Hackett paced the Setters offense with five points apiece.
• When the teams returned from the break, the Spartans and Setters traded the first six baskets, with STAC maintaining a 13-point lead (43-30).
• Despite Pace's attempts shave its deficit, the maroon and gold continued to answer, getting key buckets from Alexa Huertas, Melissa Alifano, Julia Reggio and important free throws from teammate Erin Leary to hold a 10-point advantage at 52-42 through three quarters of play.
• In the final stanza, Erin Leary, Karolina Jaruseviciute and Sarah Ericson continued to build upon the Spartans lead and counter a fourth quarter push by Pace, making it 64-52 with just under four minutes to play.
• A monster three-pointer by Julia Reggio and two more free throws by Leary in the final two and half minutes, sealed the deal on a 15-point bounce back victory for St. Thomas Aquinas College.

UP NEXT:

STAC returns to ECC action, visiting Queens College, on Wednesday, January 18 (5:30 p.m.) at Fitzgerald Gymnasium in Flushing, N.Y.