Sparkill, N.Y. - Alexa Huertas connected on eight three pointers, as the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team earned a season series sweep of Queens College, 69-46 on Wednesday evening at Aquinas Hall.

STAC improves to 19-7 overall and 11-4 in ECC play, while Queens falls to 8-18 and 5-10.

In the Spartans' regular season home finale, the maroon and gold honored its graduating class, as Alexa Huertas and Melissa Alifano's collegiate careers were celebrated with on-court ceremonies, which included the athletes' families, teammates, coaches and administrators.

Once the game got underway, the aforementioned Huertas led the way for the Spartans, posting 24 points, while teammate Sarah Ericson pulled down 19 boards.

STAC shot 43.1 percent from the field (28-65), while Queens shot 34.5 percent (19-55) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Spartans recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Sarah Ericson led the maroon and gold with six assists on the evening.
• Alexa Huertas made 8 of her 18 field goal attempts, with all eight coming from downtown. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Watrobski went 4-for-8 from the floor.
• STAC outrebounded Queens 45-29, with Sarah Ericson grabbing a game-high 19 boards.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up six steals, with the Knights turning the ball over on 19 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over Queens: Second Chance Points (15-13), Points in the Paint (26-22) and Bench Points (19-0).
• The game featured one tie and two lead changes.
• Strong defensive play by the Spartans kept Queens to just six total points in the fourth quarter.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Alexa Huertas opened the scoring with jumper from downtown and Sarah Ericson followed it up with a jumper of her own to give STAC an early 5-0 lead.
• Seven straight points by the visitors put them ahead on the scoreboard at 7-5 with just under five minutes to play in the stanza.
• The teams continued to trade baskets through the remainder of the quarter, with Trinity Cheatom and Huertas knocking down threes to give the Spartans a four-point advantage (17-13) through the first 10 minutes of action.
• Five straight points by the maroon and gold expanded the STAC lead to nine (22-13), as Karolina Jaruseviciute, and Julia Reggio got on the scoresheet with their first points of the evening.
• Despite Queens being able to make the most of their opportunities on the offensive side of the ball, the Spartans continued to score at-will with Melissa Alifano, Trinity Cheatom, Kaitlyn Watrobski, Karolina Jaruseviciute and Alexa Huertas all knocking down shots to give St. Thomas Aquinas College a 34-26 lead at halftime.
• Alexa Huertas led all scorers with 15 first-half points for the Spartans, while Brianna Davis paced the Knights offense with nine points.
• When the teams returned to the hardwood for second-half action, a quick Queens basket cut lead to six (34-28), but it would immediately answered when Trinity Cheatom hit a three-pointer to expand the STAC lead back to nine, 37-28.
• Then a Knights three brought the margin back to six, before back-to-back threes from Alexa Huertas and Sarah Ericson made it a 12-point game for the Spartans (43-31).
• See-saw play ensued for the final five minutes of the third quarter, with the teams trading baskets. Julia Reggio, Karolina Jarusevicuiute and Erin Leary helped to keep the maroon and gold lead to double-digits with their offensive production late in the frame.
• STAC held a 53-40 advantage through 30 minutes of action.
• Queens opened the final quarter with a layup to make it an 11-point game, but another Alexa Huertas trey and buckets by Sarah Ericson and Erin Leary only served to increase the Spartans lead, now at 18 points (60-42) with just under seven minutes to play in regulation.
• Another big run by STAC, this time 9-2, put the game squarely in the hands of the hosts. Leary, Huertas and Kaitlyn Watrobski made the most of their opportunities down the stretch to maintain the team's double-digit lead.
• Once again, the Spartans' tough defense held an opponent to single-digit points in a quarter, as Queens was outscored 16-6 in the final stanza.

UP NEXT:

STAC closes out its 2022-23 regular season schedule by visiting Molloy University on Saturday, February 25. Tip-off between the Spartans and Lions is set for 12:00 p.m. at Quealy Gymnasium in Rockville Centre, N.Y.