Waterbury Conn. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Lacrosse team lost to Post University 17-8 in a hard fought game at LaMoy Field on Monday. Junior Hailey Galison led the Spartans' offense with two goals and three assists, while Katelyn Cerrato (2 goals), Arianna Tribble (2 goals), McKenzie Schlechtweg (1 goal) and Annavictoria Mazariegos also contributed to the maroon and gold offense on the afternoon. Meanwhile, Post was led by Morgan Cassiliano who tallied seven goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• STAC opened the scoring with a McKenzie Schlechtweg goal just three minutes into the match, taking a feed from teammate Hailey Galison and putting it to the back of the cage to make it 1-0.
• Back-to-back goals by Post, courtesy of Molly Dobratz and Morgan Cassiliano put the hosts in the lead at 2-1.
• Katelyn Cerrato's first of two goals on the afternoon, this one via a free-position shot, tied the score up 2-2.
• The Eagles closed the first quarter with a trio of goals from Morgan Cassiliano, Cara Distefano and Molly Dobratz to pull ahead 5-2 through 15 minutes of action.
• Post University continued its offensive onslaught in the second stanza, rattling off seven straight goals, as Cara Distefano, Morgan Cassiliano (2), Hailey McHenry, Molly Dobratz and Gabrielle Fiora (2) all put shots past Spartans goalie Colleen Stevens to increase their margin on the scoreboard to 10 (12-2).
• Katelyn Cerrato and Annavictoria Mazariegos began the long road back for STAC with consecutive goals on the man advantage before halftime to cut the deficit to 12-4 at the break.
• The maroon and gold opened the new half with another man-up goal, this time from Arianna Tribble, making it 12-5 with 13:49 still to play in the third quarter.
• Unfortunately, Post could not be held down, as they went on a four-goal run, with Morgan Cassiliano scoring three more times, to give her seven goals on the day and Cara Distefano earning her hat-trick to make it a 16-5 game.
• Hailey Galison closed the scoring in the stanza with her second of the match. Post University continued to lead 16-6 through three quarters of play.
• STAC put up a valiant effort throughout the game, battling for every inch of time and space on the field. Hailey Galison opened the fourth quarter with a hat-trick goal of her own, and team-leading 14th of the season to make it 16-7
• A relatively quiet rest of the final frame, gave way to the teams trading goals before the buzzer. Arianna Tribble struck for her second of the match, before Molly Dobratz connected for her fourth to close the scoring in favor of the Post Eagles, 17-8.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• STAC tallied 21 shots on goal, with Hailey Galison and Katelyn Cerrato each registering six.
• Rachael Paraskos scooped up three ground balls, while Galison caused two turnovers.
• Katelyn Cerrato led St. Thomas Aquinas with four draw controls.
• Colleen Stevens (L, 1-8) stopped 13 of 30 shots faced in the cage for the Spartans.

UP NEXT:

St. Thomas Aquinas College (1-8) hosts Roberts Wesleyan University on Sunday, March 26 (12:00 p.m.) at Spartan Field.