The St. Thomas Aquinas College Field Hockey team picked up a 3-2 victory over the Pace University Setters on Wednesday afternoon at Spartan Field in Sparkill, NY. 

In the opening quarter, Pace took an early 1-0 lead when a Kim Schiera shot toward the Spartan cage was tipped in behind goalie Suzanne Clarke by Jessica Wolfe just four minutes into the contest. The visiting setters controlled the action in the first stanza, but were unable to increase their slim one goal margin, which they took with them into the second quarter.

Pace and STAC engaged in a defensive stalemate in the second quarter, as both squads were limited in their scoring chances by each others defenses and goaltending, which kept the score at 1-0 in favor of the Setters as the teams headed to their respective benches for the halftime break.

Lotte Strijbos opened the scoring for the Spartans in the third quarter, a little over two minutes into the frame, when she deflected Lisa Larsson strike past Pace netminder Grace Henderson to knot things at one goal apiece. However, moments later the Setters would retake the lead on a Hannah Wyllie deflected shot past the left goal post by Kim Schiera to make it 2-1 for the visitors. That's how things would remain as the clock would tick down to all zeros to end the third.

The Spartan offense would strike twice in the fourth and final quarter, as first Briannah Thorne would dipsy doodle past the Setters defense off of a penalty corner attempt from Lotte Strijbos and rip a backhander into the net, tying the game at two. STAC would tally another goal with just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, as Lauren Cooper made her way around the Pace defense and deposited the ball into the back of the cage to give the maroon and gold a 3-2 lead, and the eventual victory.

Suzanne Clarke (W, 4-6) made 4 stops for the Spartans, while Grace Henderson (L, 1-9) had 5 saves for the Setters.

Pace had a slight advantage in both shots (12-10) and Penalty Corners (10-9) for the game.

St. Thomas Aquinas College (5-6) now embarks on a two-game road trip, first visiting Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday, October 12th (1pm), before heading to the University of New Haven on Wednesday, October 16th (7pm).