Sparkill, N.Y. - Despite receiving double-digit point totals from three Spartans, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team opened its 2023-24 campaign with an 82-73 setback to American International College in its annual challenge tournament on Friday evening at Aquinas Hall.

STAC falls to 0-1 overall, while AIC moves to 1-0.

Sarah Ericson led the way for the Spartans, posting 25 points, while teammates Erin Leary and Emily Strunk recorded 16 points and 14 points respectively.

STAC shot 45.9 percent from the field (28-61), while AIC shot 42.6 percent (23-54) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Spartans recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Trinity Cheatom led the maroon and gold with four assists on the evening.
• Sarah Ericson made 10 of her 17 field goal attempts, while Erin Leary went 6-for-10 from the floor.
• STAC out-rebounded AIC by a 41-29 margin, with Leary grabbing a game-high eight boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up 10 steals, with the Yellow Jackets turning the ball over on 17 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over American International: Second Chance Points (14-7), Points in the Paint (34-16) and Fastbreak Points (7-6). 
• The game featured three ties and seven lead changes.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The sides traded baskets to open the quarter, with Emily Strunk and Sarah Ericson recording the first points of the new season for the Spartans.
• Trailing 7-4 early, and Erin Leary jumper and an Ericson trey quickly turned a three-point deficit into a two-point advantage at 9-7.
• A 8-4 run over the final five minutes of the opening stanza gave St. Thomas Aquinas an 17-11 lead at the end of one quarter.
• AIC started the second quarter with a 11-4 run of their own to regain a one-point advantage at 22-21.
• Back and forth play between the sides culminated in the hosts getting back within one on a pair of Emily Strunk free throws, 28-27.
• Eight straight points by the Yellow Jackets extended their lead to nine (36-27) with two and a half minutes to play before halftime.
• American International went to the locker room with a 40-29 lead through the first 20 minutes of action.
• Sarah Ericson led all scorers with 12 first half points for the Spartans, while Briana Lee posted 10 points for the Yellow Jackets.
• AIC continued to score points at will in the third quarter, answering STAC's scoring almost every trip down the floor. The visitors built an 18-point advantage, before the Spartans cut their deficit to just eight (58-50) to end the frame.
• STAC started the final quarter with seven straight points, as Erin Leary, Emily Strunk and Trinity Cheatom put their team back in the game, with a chance to tie or take the lead with almost eight minutes to play in regulation.
• However, American International made the most of its opportunities down the stretch and kept the Spartans at arms length to take the season opener 82-73.

UP NEXT:

STAC wraps up play at the 2023 STAC Basketball Challenge on Saturday, November 12 (5:00 p.m.), taking on Dominican University at Aquinas Hall in Sparkill.