The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team edged Mercy College, 90-88, on an Alyson Brennan lay-up with under a second remaining in regulation in an East Coast Conference thriller. Lexi Breheny and Sabrina Eggink led the way with 16 points each as the Lady Spartans improved to 4-1 overall, 1-1 in the ECC with Mercy falling to 1-3, 0-1.
STAC took charge in the early moments, with four straight Breheny free throws staking the visitors to a 15-6 advantage just four minutes into play. The Lady Spartans would then go into a dry spell, failing to hit a field goal in over four minutes as the Mavericks streaked on an 11-1 run to take a 17-16 edge.
After several lead changes, Mercy would jump on top, as three pointers from Maria Nardulli and Shayne Ortiz capped a 16-4 run to put the Mavs in a 41-31 lead with under five minutes to play. STAC would battle back, with Kristin Olsen and Colleen Ames hitting threes of their own in succession to tie the game at 43-43 just three minutes later, but Mercy would hit two more from downtown before the half to take a 49-43 lead, largely on the strength of 7-of-9 shooting from behind the arc.
St. Thomas Aquinas responded with the first six points of the second half to deadlock the affair, and once again the tug-of-war was on. An Ames trey with six minutes left gave the visitors an 83-72 edge, but in keeping with the theme of the day, the Mavericks would rally to tie at 85-85 on a Tanzazya Augustine jumper with two minutes remaining.
A pair of Ames free throws, followed by 1-of-2 from the line by Alexis Monseratte put STAC up by one in the final minute. After misses by both teams, Brennan was fouled with 12 seconds left and proceeded to make one of two, putting STAC ahead, 88-86.
Breheny would then foul Mercy's Shayne Ortiz, who drained both free throws to once again even the score with six seconds remaining. With time winding down and Mercy pressing to try to force a turnover, the Lady Spartans deftly worked the ball down the floor, ending with Ames finding a driving Brennan, who hit the game-deciding lay-up with just .6 seconds showing on the clock, and sending the Lady Spartans home with a victory.
Eggink and Breheny were two of five Lady Spartans to hit double-figures, joined by Ames (13), Olsen, (13), and Kaitlyn McCue (11). STAC came up big at the foul line, shooting 84% on 32-of-38 shooting, while Mercy hit 69% (29-36).
The Lady Spartans return to action this Thursday, December 5, when Felician College visits Aquinas Hall for a 5:30 start. That night is part of the STAC Athletic Department's annual Toys for Tots drive, where fans are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to drop in the lobby box to assist those in need this holiday season.