ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan women's basketball team was unable to upset the undefeated No. 22 Saint Thomas Aquinas Spartans on Saturday in the Voller Athletic Center losing 74-68.
In the first East Coast Conference matchup of the season for both teams it was the Spartans who gained the edge in the first half, putting up a 15 point lead on the Redhawks. Turnovers were costly for Roberts as 12 first half turnovers led to 13 points for the visitors. St. Thomas Aquinas was led by senior guard Jenna Erickson who had 10 points in the half and finished with a game-high 23. Despite the turnovers and shooting under 40-percent from the field, the Redhawks hung around and cut the lead to seven with 25 seconds remaining in the first half, but the Spartans would take the momentum with a last second three pointer that was banked in by Erickson.
In the second half the Spartans continued to attack and extended their lead to as many as 17 points, but by the end of the third quarter the Redhawks had cut the deficit to nine with the score 57-48. The offense began to get into rhythm in the final quarter of play and the Redhawks cut the lead to just one point following a three point basket by senior Lucy Covley making the score 62-61 with 5:26 remaining. The Spartans answered with a three of their own a minute later. Covley would again cut the lead to just one point with a three point shot at the 2:18 mark but STAC responded with four straight points to keep the game at a two possession lead and would go on to the six point victory, 74-68.
The Redhawks received the majority of their offense from post players Emily Miller and Kyla Covington. Miller scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds adding two blocks along the way, while Covington posted a career high, 19 points with seven rebounds.
It took Covley until the fourth quarter to hit her first triple of the game, but the senior knows when to hit timely shots. The Fairport, N.Y. native hit arguably the biggest shot of the game with 5:26 remaining in the fourth to bring the score within one point. That three point basket also etched her name atop the ECC record books for most three pointers made in a career. Covley broke the record at 289 three pointers and then added one more in the game for good measure to currently sit as the all-time leader with 290 made three pointers.
Roberts now falls to 3-3 on the season while the Spartans continue their winning run at 7-0. The Redhawks will prepare for the upcoming game against the Le Moyne Dolphins on Tuesday. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. in the Voller Athletic Center. Le Moyne is currently 4-4 on the season.
