Orangeburg, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team made the short trip across town on Wednesday evening to take on local rivals Dominican University at the Hennessy Center. Despite receiving a double-double from Iyana Morel and a 17-point effort from teammate Jona Kabashi, the Spartans were sent to their third straight defeat by the Chargers, 75-61.

STAC falls to 0-3 on the season, while Dominican moves to 1-2.

The aforementioned Morel posted 10 points and game-high 12 rebounds for the maroon and gold, while Kabashi put up a team-high 17 points. Meanwhile, Cayla Howard led all scorers with 22 points for the host Chargers.

St. Thomas Aquinas shot 34.8 percent (23-66) from the field and 92.9 percent (13-14) from the free-throw line, while Dominican shot 40.8 percent (29-71) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Trinity Cheatom, Cassidy Mahaney and Abby Jacoby led the maroon and gold with two assists apiece on the evening.
• Iyana Morel hit 4 of her 11 field goal attempts and both of her free-throw attempts. Jona Kabashi went 7-for-11 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the foul line.
• STAC out-rebounded Dominican by a slim 46-44 margin, with Morel also grabbing a game-high 12 boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up three steals, with the Chargers turning the ball over on 11 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over Dominican: Second Chance Points (9-3), Points in the Paint (42-34) and Bench Points (33-25).
• The game featured two ties and two lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed Dominican 39-30 at the half and shot 32.2 percent (10-of-31) from the field and a perfect 100.0 percent (10-of-10) from the free-throw line.
• Jona Kabashi led all Spartans' scorers with ten first half points, while shooting 66.6 percent (4-of-6) from the floor and 100.0 percent (2-for-2) from the foul line.
• St. Thomas Aquinas' best shooting quarter came in the final stanza, with the Spartans shooting 47.1 percent (8-17) from the field, 50.0 percent (1-of-2) from long range and 100.0 percent (2-for-2) from the line.

DOMINICAN NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Ten Chargers logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Cayla Howard led Dominican with 22 points, while teammates Sky Priester (10 points) and Ketura Rutty (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Isabella Javier and Tamia Nunes led Dominican with four assists apiece on the night.
• Howard went 8-for-15 from the floor, 3-of-6 from three-point and 3-for-4 from the foul line. Rutty connected on 5-of-12 field goal attempts.
• Nunes also grabbed a team-high ten boards for the Chargers.
• Dominican picked up 12 steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 19 separate occasions.
• The Chargers earned one advantage in the team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points Off Turnovers (18-7).
• Dominican had its largest lead of the game (18 points) late in the third quarter, 55-39, on a Ketura Rutty jump shot.
• Cayla Howard led all scorers at the half with 12 points for the Chargers, while shooting 57.1 percent (4-for-7) from the floor, 50.0 percent (1-of-2) from three and 75.0 percent from the foul line (3-of-4).
• Dominican's best shooting quarter came in the opening stanza, with the Chargers shooting 50.0 percent (9-18) from the field.

UP NEXT:

STAC will look to get in the win column on Saturday, November 22, when they host Goldey-Beacom College in a 1:00 p.m. non-conference tilt at Aquinas Hall.