Amherst, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team withstood a late surge by Queens College on Saturday afternoon, to come away with a 55-48 victory in the semifinals of the East Coast Conference Tournament at Lumsden Gymnasium on the campus of Daemen University.
No. 2 seeded STAC improves to 21-7 on the year and advances to ECC Tournament Final. Meanwhile, Queens College concludes its campaign with a 9-20 record.
Sarah Ericson led the way for the Spartans, recording a double-double, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, teammate Erin Leary posted a double-double of her own with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Trinity Cheatom (11 points) also scored in double figures.
STAC shot 28.3 percent from the field (17-60), while Queens shot 30.5 percent (18-59) from the floor.
STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:
- Seven Spartans recorded double-digit minutes in the contest.
- Alexa Huertas led the maroon and gold with four assists on the afternoon.
- Sarah Ericson made 5 of her 12 field goal attempts, while Angelique Holguin went 3-for-6 from the floor.
- STAC and Queens grabbed 45 rebounds apiece, with Erin Leary snatching a team-high 11 boards for the Spartans.
- St. Thomas Aquinas picked up six steals, with the Knights turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
- The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over Queens: Points off Turnovers (10-3), Second Chance Points (8-3) and Bench Points (9-5).
- The game featured two ties and two lead changes.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- STAC opened the scoring on a Trinity Cheatom layup to go ahead 2-0, but it would be short-lived, as Queens posted the next four points to quickly flip the scoreboard in their favor at 4-2.
- An Erin Leary trey begin a 7-2 run by the Spartans to put them ahead 9-6 through the first 10 minutes of action. Trinity Cheatom and Karolina Jaruseviciute also knocked down shots of their own to help the cause.
- The maroon and gold streak continued into the second quarter, with Kaitlyn Watrobski, Leary, and Jaruseviciute wracking up five straight points to put the visitors ahead 14-6 with seven and a half minutes to play before halftime.
- Jumpers by Sarah Ericson and Angelique Holguin gave STAC two separate 12-point leads (22-10 & 24-12) with four minutes remaining in the stanza.
- Queens closed the half with a 9-3 run of their own to trail cut the deficit to just six, 27-21 at the break.
- Angelique Holguin led all scorers with seven first-half points for the Spartans, while Raven Pitt paced the Knights' offense with six points.
- When the teams returned to the hardwood for second-half action, Erin Leary's three would be the first shot to sail through the net, increasing STAC's lead to 30-21.
- The sides battled for every inch of space on the court, as the Spartans held an 11-point lead (35-24) when Sarah Ericson hit from downtown. However, the pesky Knights would fight back to close the gap on the scoreboard to just three, 38-35 via an 11-3 run with just under two minutes to go in the third frame.
- Sarah Ericson's jumper in the closing seconds of the quarter, expanded the maroon and gold lead to five, 40-35.
- To start the final quarter, an Erin Leary free throw and Trinity Cheatom jump shot gave the Spartans some immediate relief and increased their margin to eight (43-35).
- Eight straight points by Queens over a minute-and-a-half span turned their deficit into a tie at 43-43.
- A 9-0 streak, which was led by Karolina Jaruseviciute, Erin Leary, Alexa Huertas, Trinity Cheatom, and Sarah Ericson got STAC back in front by nine, 52-43 with 41 seconds left in the contest.
- The Knights hit a quick three to make it a six-point disadvantage, but a Cheatom free throw put the margin back to seven (53-46).
- A basket by Queens was immediately answered by the 2023 ECC Player of the Year, Ericson to make it 55-48, which would hold true until the final buzzer.
UP NEXT:
STAC takes on the top seed and hosts from Daemen University on Championship Sunday (March 5) at Lumsden Gymnasium in Western New York. Opening tip between the Spartans and Wildcats is set for noon.
Provided by the St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information Department.
