Dowling Holds Off Lady Spartans

The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team fell 78-69 to Dowling College dropping them to 0-1 in conference play.  Freshman Briana Sloper led all scorers with twenty-five points while pulling down eleven rebounds recording the first double double of her career.  Junior guard Colleen Vogel added twelve points for the Spartans draining four from behind the arc.

The Lady Spartans went on a 12-4 run to start the game sparked by Theresa Dowling who made a layup and nailed a three.  A jumper by Sloper put STAC ahead 17-9 with 10:53 the go in the half before Dowling's Christie Marrone hit a three and converted on two free throws to cut the lead to four.  STAC responded outscoring the Golden Lions 7-2 over the next three minutes of play putting them ahead 24-15.  Dowling would not go away quietly as they outscored STAC 22-6 in the final six minutes of the half giving them a 37-30 advantage at the break.

Both teams exchanged basket early into the second half before Dowling's Simona Bartkova hit a three to give them their largest lead of the game 37-48.  A layup by senior Claire Wilson (10 rebounds) followed by three pointers from Sloper and Vogel brought the Spartans within four.  Sloper converted on her next four layups to tie the game at 55, before Kim Vareles drained a three to give STAC the lead.  

Dowling's Marrone scored a jumper to put them back ahead one with eight minutes left in the game and the Golden Lions would not look back as the outscored STAC 23-11 to close out the game. 

The Lady Spartans will be back in action as they travel to CW Post on Saturday for a 1:30 start.