The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team hit 13 three-pointers en route to a convincing 81-54 East Coast Conference triumph at Daemen College. Five different players reached double-figures as the Lady Spartans won their third straight to improve to 10-3 overall and 3-2 in ECC play, with Daemen falling to 2-8, 0-4.

Jenna Erickson connected for a pair of treys and Alex Bertolino and Chelsea Murphy each also connected from deep in the first six minutes of play, staking STAC to an early 16-7 lead. The Wildcats would rally for the next 10 points and a brief advantage before Kate McCue's late jumper gave the visitors an 18-17 edge after one quarter.

Natalie Galus scored five straight for Daemen to put the hosts back on top by a 22-21 count, but the Lady Spartans would take charge from there, with an Alyson Brennan three capping an 18-4 run for a 39-26 lead at the break. In all, STAC converted eight shots from downtown in the first half alone.

Defense would help put the game out of reach, as STAC reeled off a 15-0 run and held DC without a field goal over the final six minutes of the third quarter, with the chasm ballooning to 64-34 by quarter's end, as the Lady Spartans cruised from there.

Murphy led St. Thomas Aquinas with 15 points, Erickson added 14, and Brennan (13), McCue (11) and Alex Bertolino (11) all contributed to the balanced attack. Daemen's Sara Saba led all scorers with 19 points, but it was not enough to overcome STAC's incredible perimeter shooting, which ended the evening at 62% from beyond the arc (13-of-21).

St. Thomas Aquinas has now won three-of-four in their current string of six games away from home, continuing on Saturday's 2:00 pm tipoff at Roberts Wesleyan College. They will then travel to face Mercy on Tuesday, January 12, before returning to Aquinas Hall to square off with the University of the District of Columbia on Thursday, January 14.

- Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information

- Photo by Dorice Arden