Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team saw its four-game win-streak snapped on Monday, suffering a 70-60 setback to the University of Bridgeport in an afternoon matinee game at Aquinas Hall.

STAC slips to 9-3 on the season, while Bridgeport improves to 5-6 overall.

Karolina Jaruseviciute led the Spartans with 14 points, while Erin Leary (11 points and 10 rebounds) also scored in double-figures.

STAC shot 31.5 percent from the field (23-73), while UB shot 45.6 percent (26-57) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Spartans recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Sarah Ericson led the maroon and gold with four assists on the day.
• Karolina Jaruseviciute made 5 of her 13 field goal attempts, while Angelique Holguin went 4-for-8 from the floor.
• Bridgeport out rebounded STAC 50-36 in the non-conference tilt, with Erin Leary grabbing a team-high 10 boards.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up 15 steals, with the Purple Knights turning the ball over on 26 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over Bridgeport: Points off of Turnovers (19-17), Second Chance Points (8-4) and Bench Points (14-0).
• The game featured 11 ties and 13 lead changes.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• STAC opened the contest with four straight points, courtesy of Angelique Holguin and Joline Raposo.
• Bridgeport countered with six consecutive points of their own to take a 6-4 lead at the eight minute mark.
• Megan Fedor started a 9-1 run, which also featured buckets and free-throws from Karolina Jaruseviciute and Raposo to make it 13-7 Spartans.
• A mini streak by the Purple Knights to close the quarter allowed the visitors to tie the game a 17-17, before a Holguin layup put STAC back up by two at 19-17 just seconds before the buzzer.
• St. Thomas Aquinas took a four-point advantage (21-17) to open the second stanza on a Jaruseviciute layup, but an 11-0 run flipped the scoreboard in favor Bridgeport, 28-21, forcing Head Coach Bill Cleary to call a timeout.
• An immediate response came from the maroon and gold, as Karolina Jaruseviciute, Alexa Huertas and Erin Leary all connected on their offensive chances to square the game at 28-28 with 3:34 to play before halftime.
• The Purple Knights scored five of the nine total points in the final three plus minutes to take a slim one-point advantage to the locker room, 33-32.
• Karolina Jaruseviciute paced the Spartans offense with 12 first-half points, while Mackenzie Creighton led all scorers with 15 points for the Purple Knights.
• Following the break, Bridgeport increased its lead to three (35-32), but STAC countered with five straight points to regain the advantage at 37-35.
• The action continued with both sides matching each other, shot for shot. The Spartans took a five-point lead 46-41 with 3:50 remaining in the frame, however the Purple Knights would put up a five spot of their own to tie the game at 46-46 with a minute to play in the third quarter.
• Kaitlyn Watrobski's trey then put STAC back up 49-46 and Bridgeport would get a bucket before the horn to cut it to one-point Spartan advantage (49-48) through 30 minutes of action.
• See-saw play through the first six and a half minutes of the fourth and final quarter was on tap, with the sides countering each other's moves like a chess match.
• Tied at 60 with 3:29 left to play, Bridgeport rattled off 10 straight points, with STAC's offense falling silent and the maroon and gold forced to foul in order to preserve time and a chance at a comeback. 
• Unfortunately, a rally would not be in the cards for the Spartans and they would drop the non-conference tilt, 70-60.

UP NEXT:

Following the mandatory seven-day NCAA Division II Holiday Break, STAC closes out 2022 by hosting Southern New Hampshire University on Thursday, December 29. Opening tip between the Spartans and Penmen is set for 5:00 p.m. at Aquinas Hall.