Box Score

Sparkhill, N.Y. (Dec. 8, 2007) – Senior Emily Bolling (Palmer, Alaska) led four Bears in double figures with 14 points, but it was not enough as St. Thomas Aquinas defeated NYIT 78-61 this evening in East Coast Conference women’s basketball action. The loss drops NYIT to 2-4 on the season and 0-3 in the ECC.

The Spartans jumped out to an 8-2lead early in the first half and increased their advantage to 25-5 with just under 12 minutes left. The Spartans led 34-16 with 1:04 remaining and scored nine straight points to take their largest lead of the game, 43-16, before heading into intermission with a 43-22 advantage.

Trailing 46-24 with 18:09 to play in the second half, freshman Lauren Caggiano (Holtsville, N.Y.) sparked a 21-6 run, capped by junior Brittany Almonte’s (Syracuse, N.Y.) three pointer, that brought the Bears to within seven points, 52-45 with just over 10 minutes left to play. St. Thomas Aquinas responded with an 8-0 run of their own over the next two minutes, as Ingram scored five straight, to regain control and take a 60-45 lead. The Bears would get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

Caggiano recorded the second double-double of her career, scoring 10 points and grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds. Senior Brittany Smith (Hempstead, N.Y.) netted 12 points and Almonte finished with 10 points in the loss for NYIT.

St. Thomas Aquinas’ Takiyah Ingram scored a game-high 22 points and the Spartans capitalized on 26 turnovers by the Bears, scoring 36 points.

NYIT returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 12, hosting Mercy College at 5 p.m.