The St. Thomas Aquinas women's basketball team won 65-64 against visiting Queens. The Lady Spartans received 14 points each from Theresa Dowling and Briana Sloper. Shpresa Liharevic added 10 points while Sylvia Davis had 10 assists and 4 steals.
Both teams shot the ball well in the opening minutes of play as STAC hit four three pointers to Queen's three. The Lady Spartans received two from senior Colleen Vogel and two from Dowling. STAC went on a 15-2 run midway through the first half giving them a 33-18 lead with 6:04 left on the clock. Freshman Shpresa Liharevic sparked the run with five points and added her second three just before the half ended to give the Lady Spartans a 40-24 advantage at the break.
Sloper scored back to back layups in the second half pushing STAC's lead to 18 but the Knights would not let down. Queens rallied a 7-0 run of their own closing to within eleven at the 16:30 mark. The Lady Spartans held a double digit advantage until the 10 minute mark when Christine Harnischfeger hit a jumper to bring them within eight, 50-42. Sophomore Natalie Catavero was fouled shooting a three and made all three free throws to push STAC ahead eleven. Queens went on a 14-4 run to pull within one point with 3:20 left on the clock. Both teams exchanged baskets in the final minutes of play with STAC ahead 63-62 with :54 seconds left in the game.
A foul was called with :14 seconds left in the game and Harnischfeger stepped up and hit both free throws to put the Knights ahead 64-63. The Lady Spartans had to go the length of the court on their final possession in which Davis pushed the ball ahead to Dowling who attacked the basket and dished to freshman Leane Urbancik for the game winning basket.
The Knights had one last attempt but time expired before they got a shot off. The Lady Spartans outrebounded Queens, 37-27. Sloper added 9 boards for STAC and Dowling added 7.
The Lady Spartans will host NYIT on Wednesday for a 5:30 game. Wednesday's game will also be National Girls and Women in Sports Day in which all of the Lady Spartan athletes will be recognized immediately following the women's game.