Ashley Motrechuk scored a game-high 17 points but it was not enough as the St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team fell to Goldey-Beacom College, 58-51 in their season opener at Aquinas Hall. The Lady Spartans had bolted to a 47-40 lead midway through the second half before the visitors closed out with an 18-4 run to secure the victory.

While Goldey-Beacom led throughout much of the first half, neither team established a lead of more than six points in a hard-fought battle. Motrechuk caught fire late in the stanza, hitting a pair of threes and posting eight points in a 10-4 run that gave STAC a 28-26 lead entering the locker room at halftime.

The visitors would respond quickly the the first six points after the break and again the tilt would remain close until the Lady Spartans 9-0 run that put them up by a 47-40 margin with 9:42 remaining. Goldey would turn up the defensive pressure, not yielding another field goal thereafter in picking up the win in their season opener.

Devonne Richardson led the way for GBC, equlaing the game-high of 17 points while leading all rebounders in grabbing 13 caroms. STAC's Brianna Cook was the only other scorer to hit double-figures, posting 13 points to go with her six rebounds and four steals.

In other action at the ECC/CACC Challenge Tournament, Caldwell College cruised to a 77-64 win over University of the District of Columbia, ensuring a sweep of the first two games for the CACC. The tourney concludes tomorrow, November 10, when Goldey-Beacom and UDC start things off in a 2:00 pm tipoff, finished by the finale between the Lady Spartans and Caldwell, set for a 4:00 pm start. Full video coverage and LiveStats will be available for both contests.