SECOND HALF RALLY LEADS SPARTANS OVER LADY CHARGERS
Orangeburg, N.Y. (11/22/15) The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team scored 36 second half points to erase a five point deficit at the break to defeat the Dominican College Lady Chargers, 58-52, this afternoon in the third game of the 3rd Annual Regina Rivera Memorial Tournament.
Orangeburg, N.Y. (11/22/15) The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team scored 36 second half points to erase a five point deficit at the break to defeat the Dominican College Lady Chargers, 58-52, this afternoon in the third game of the 3rd Annual Regina Rivera Memorial Tournament.
With the win STAC improves to 5-0 on the season, while the Lady Chargers fall to 2-3 overall.
Dominican opened the contest with eight unanswered points and extended the lead to 10 points (15-52) on a trey from Stefani Alston (West Orange, N.J.) with 2:32 left in the quarter. The Spartans netted a three-point basket of their own to cut the lead to sevedn (15-8) at the end of the first quarter.
The Spartans outscored Dominican 14-12 in the second stanza and cut the deficit to one possession four times. A Déja Gabbidon (Teaneck, N.J.) layup put DC ahead 21-12 with under four and a half to play, but STAC went on a 10-6 closing run to cut the lead to 27-22 at the break.
Gabbidon scored the first basket of the third quarter and a three from Shannon McGill (Staten Island, N.Y.) with 9:18 on the clock extended the lead to 32-24. The Spartans countered with an 11-3 run to tie the game (35-35) with five and half minutes left in the third quarter. Two Spartan free throws put them infront 40-39 with 55 ticks left in the third stanza, but junior Lisa Bouffard (Wallkill, N.Y.) regained the lead for Dominican with a layup to make the score 41-40 at the end of three quarters.
The Spartans opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to gain their biggest lead of the game, 48-43. Dominican charged right back into the game with nine straight points to go up 52-48 with just under three minutes to go. The final 1:44 seconds belonged to STAC as they scored nine unanswered points en route to the 58-52 victory.
Bouffard led three Lady Chargers in double figures with 16 points (8-12 from the floor) and grabbed five rebounds.
Gabbidon had the game's only doubl-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Guard Rebecca Rabeiro (Midland Park, N.J.) netted 11 points (3-5 from the floor, 2-4 from the three point arc) and five assists.
Jacqueline Rywalt (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) recorded a game best six assists.
Dominican returns to action on Tuesday night as they travel to Felician College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game.