Washington, D.C. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team combined timely scoring with a strong defensive effort to defeat the University of the District of Columbia, 52-45 on Wednesday evening at the UDC Sports Complex in our nation's capital. STAC improves to 4-9, 3-1 ECC on the season, winning its third straight game, while the host Firebirds drop to 7-7 and 3-2 in conference play.

Victoria Kurisko led the way for the Spartans, posting 15 points, while Alexa Huertas (11 points) and Sarah Ericson (10 points) also scored in double-figures.

STAC shot 29.9 percent from the field (20-67) in the conference tilt, while UDC shot 26.4 percent (14-53) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Six different players recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Sarah Ericson led the Spartans with five assists on the night.
• Alexa Huertas made 5 of her 12 field goal attempts, while Victoria Kurisko went 5-for-13 from the floor.
• STAC out rebounded UDC 50-42 through 40 minutes of action, with Victoria Kurisko leading the way for the Spartans with 12 boards.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up seven steals in the contest, with the Firebirds turning the ball over on 17 different occasions.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Spartans raced out to an early 10-3 lead to open the first quarter, before UDC battled back to make it a slim 12-11 advantage for the visitors just before the three minute mark. STAC was able to get out of the opening quarter with a 14-11 margin.
• The second quarter began with back and forth play between the squads, with the visitors in maroon and gold only able to extend their lead to five early on. UDC would again claw back to even the score at 22 all going into the halftime break.
• Alexa Huertas, Victoria Kurisko and Chanel Brodeur-Muir paced the Spartans with five points each in the first half. Kensley Benjamin led all scorers with seven points for UDC through 20 minutes of action.
• After the intermission, the teams would once again continue to match each other, shot for shot, until late in the frame when the Spartans would go on a 7-0 run to end the quarter, capped by four straight points by Karolina Jaruseviciute to make it 37-30 STAC.
• In the fourth quarter, St. Thomas Aquinas built its biggest lead of the game at 10 points (42-32). However the host Firebirds would not go away, cutting their deficit on multiple occasions, before clutch free-throw shooting and tight defense by the Spartans, along with the clock became obstacles in UDC's attempted comeback.
• Three late free-throws by Victoria Kurisko and a Chanel Brodeur-Muir jump shot sealed the game for STAC, giving them three consecutive victories for the first time this season

UP NEXT:

St. Thomas Aquinas returns to Aquinas Hall on Saturday, January 15 to take on the College of Staten Island in the first-ever ECC meeting between the two schools. Tip-off is scheduled for 1pm in Sparkill.