Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team closed its 2024-25 regular season schedule Saturday, dropping an 82-65 Senior Day decision to Mercy University at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium.

STAC finishes the year at 4-22 overall and 2-14 within the ECC, while Mercy improves to 17-9 and 11-5, and now prepares for the upcoming East Coast Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.

Prior to the Spartans regular season home finale, the maroon and gold honored its graduating class, as Emily Strunk, Karolina Jaruseviciute, Liliana Kramer and Syrita Faraj's collegiate careers were celebrated with on-court ceremonies, which included the athletes' families, teammates, coaches and college administrators.

When the teams got underway on the hardwood, Syrita Faraj recorded a game-high 22 points for the Spartans, while teammate Trinity Cheatom (14 points) also factored in STAC's totals with each scoring in double figures. Meanwhile, Amani Abuhatab (20 points) led the visiting Mavericks in scoring with a team-high 20 points.

STAC shot 40.0 percent (26-65) from the field and 88.9 percent (8-9) from the foul line, while Mercy shot 47.4 percent (27-57) from the floor and 50.0 percent (9-18) from beyond the arc.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the conference contest. 
• Karolina Jaruseviciute led the maroon and gold with four assists on the day.
• Syrita Faraj hit 10 of her 18 field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Trinity Cheatom went 6-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.
• Mercy out-rebounded STAC by a 43-29 margin, with Syrita Faraj also grabbing a team-high 11 boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped nine steals, with the Mavericks turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over Mercy: Points off Turnovers (13-12) and Points in the Paint (38-32).
• The game featured one tie and four lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed Mercy 40-30 at the half and shot 37.5 percent (12-32) from the field, 42.8 percent (3-7) from three-point and 75.0 (3-4) from the foul line.
• Trinity led all Spartans scorers with eight first half points, while shooting a perfect 100.0 percent (4-of-4) from the floor.
• STAC's best shooting quarter came in the second stanza, as the Spartans shot 50.0 percent (7-14) from the field and 100.0 percent (2-2) from long range. 
• St. Thomas Aquinas closes its campaign on a ten-game losing streak.

MERCY NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Mavericks logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Amani Abuhatab led Mercy with 20 points, while Molly Boek (11 points), Morgan Miller (10 points) and Angelina Barrera (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Grace Lesko led Mercy with six assists on the afternoon.
• Abuhatab went 7-for-14 from the floor, 2-for-4 from distance and 4-of-6 from the foul line. Meanwhile, Boek went 3-for-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
• Angelina Barrera also grabbed a team-high 13 boards for the Mavericks.
• Mercy picked up five steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on eight separate occasions.
• The Mavericks earned advantages in three team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Second Chance Points (14-10), Fastbreak Points (6-5) and Bench Points (28-20).
• Mercy's largest lead of the game came with just under four and a half minutes to play in the contest, when Mavericks led by 17 points, 75-58, on a Molly Boek three-point jumper.
• Amani Abuhatab led all scorers with 12 first half points for the Mavericks, while shooting 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from the field and 75.0 percent (3-for-4) from the free throw line.
• Mercy's best shooting quarter came in the opening stanza, as the Mavericks shot 46.7 percent (7-15) from the field and 100.0 percent (4-4) from the charity stripe.