Bridgeport Conn. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team dropped a 71-53 conference contest to the University of Bridgeport at Harvey Hubbell Gynasium on Wednesday evening.

STAC falls to 6-11, 5-3 ECC on the season, while the Purple Knights improve to 5-12, 2-8.

Victoria Kurisko posted 14 points on the evening for the Spartans, while Sarah Ericson (10pts) and Angelique Holguin (10pts) also scored in double-figures. Janiece Loney led all scorers with 21 points for Bridgeport.

STAC shot 30.6 percent from the field (19-62) in the ECC tilt, while Bridgeport shot 41.0 percent (25-61) from the floor and 40.7 percent (11-27) from behind the arc.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight different players recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Victoria Kurisko led the Spartans with four assists in the game.
• Kurisko made 5 of her 12 field goal attempts, with Angelique Holguin went 5-for-10 from the floor.
• STAC out rebounded Bridgeport 44-42 through 40 minutes of action. Chanel Brodeur-Muir picked up eight boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas forced four steals, with the Purple Knight turning the ball over on seven different occasions.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Bridgeport netted the first four points of the game, but STAC battled back to cut into the slim deficit. The teams would battle back and forth in the opening quarter with the hosts leading 22-17 through 10 minutes of action.
• The Purple Knights opened the second quarter on a 9-2 run to make it 31-19 with just over six and a half minutes to play before halftime. UB would push its lead to 20 (43-23) late in the stanza and hold onto a 13-point advantage at the break, 46-33.
• Victoria Kurisko paced the Spartan scoring in the opening 20 minutes of action with 11 points. Janiece Loney led all scorers in the half with 14 points for Bridgeport.
• Third quarter action saw more of the same hot shooting for the Purple Knights, with UB maintaining a 21-point lead (61-41) with just over two minutes to play in the frame. STAC would cut the margin to 15 in the final moments of the quarter, but Bridgeport continued to lead 61-46.
• The Spartans attempted a late rally in the fourth quarter, however Bridgeport kept its foot on the gas pedal, scoring virtually every time STAC would get a bucket, snuffing out any hopes of a miracle comeback.

UP NEXT:

St. Thomas Aquinas heads to Western New York for a back-to-back set with Roberts Wesleyan College on Saturday, January 29 (2:00 p.m.) and Sunday, January 30 (1:00 p.m.).