The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team overcame a late deficit for a 62-59 non-conference victory at Pace University. Adiya Henderson and Jenna Erickson recorded 16 points each for the Lady Spartans, who close out the calendar year with an impressive 9-3 record, including three wins in their last four games. With the loss, Pace dropped to 6-6 on the season.

Both teams suffered from Holiday Break rust early, with the game's first points not coming until Henderson converted a basket with 5:36 to play in the first quarter. STAC maintained an 11-5 lead through 10 minutes, and their tough defense continued through halftime with a late Erickson free throw capping a 28-18 lead at the break.

After a quick trey from Erickson to open the third, the hosts would rally scoring the last eight points of the session to grab a 42-41 lead on Stephanie Svoboda's jumper at the buzzer. STAC answered with a 7-2 run to start the final stanza, with another Erickson trey building a 48-44 Lady Spartan edge.

Once again, Pace would leapfrog into the lead, with Gabriella Rubin's hoop with 2:30 on the clock putting her team in the lead at 56-52, setting up a wild finish. Samantha Burden quickly hit from deep to draw STAC within one, and after a pair of Pace foul shots, Chelsea Murphy tied the score at 58 from deep with 1:51 to play. A pair of Henderson free throws gave the Lady Spartans the lead for good with 1:11 left, but there were still opportunities both ways.

Svoboda brought the Setters to 60-59 by splitting a pair from the line, and a block by Alexandra Monteleone gave the home squad a chance for the win with 14 seconds left. Rubin's jumper with three seconds left was off the mark, and Alyson Brennan sank a pair to secure the final margin of victory.

Rubin's final miss did not detract from her game-high 19 points for Pace, while Murphy added 10 off the STAC bench. Brennan cleared 11 rebounds for St. Thomas Aquinas, though her team was out-caromed by a 45-36 overall total.

The Lady Spartans are now 2-1 on their string of six straight on the road, which continues in the new year with a tough East Coast Conference trip to northern New York state. On Thursday, January 7, STAC will take on Daemen College before squaring off with Roberts Wesleyan College on Saturday, January 9.

Happy New Year from St. Thomas Aquinas College Athletics!

- Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information

- Photo by Dorice Arden