SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts A dominating third quarter was the key for the American International College women's basketball team in a 57-35 win over Saint Thomas Aquinas College in the team's 2021 home opener on Sunday, January 24.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 57, STAC 35
Record:The Yellow Jackets reach 2-0 to start the year, while the Spartans fall to 0-2.
Location:Henry Butova Gymnasium, Springfield, Massachusetts

STAT LEADERS:
AIC:
Nora Young: 16 points, two rebounds, two steals
Kayla Robinson: 11 points, three rebounds, four assists, three steals
Kyla Smith: 10 points, two steals
Destine Perry: Four points, eight rebounds, three assists
Asia Turner: Eight rebounds

STAC:
Alexa Huertas: Six points, two steals
Karolina Jaruseviciute: Six points, six rebounds, two steals
Angelique Holguin: Eight rebounds, two blocks

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The offenses struggled early; each team did have a three to open the scoring as Alexa Huertas hit for the Spartans before senior Destine Perry responded for AIC to knot the game 3-3 at 2:06; rookie Nora Young then gave her side a 6-3 lead with a triple at 3:22.
• Karolina Jaruseviciute broke a long scoring drought for both teams with a jumper but AIC responded with a small run as Young and sophomore AJ Washington each hit shots; sophomore Kayla Robinson then had a field goal and a free throw down the stretch as AIC went into the first quarter break up 16-7.
• Though both teams struggled with possession early in the second, the Spartans did cut the lead down to 16-11 at 2:07 of the frame before Young scored AIC's first points at 3:17 on a layup from Perry.
• The only player to make any shots from the floor for the remaining portion of the frame was Smith, who hit a pair of threes to give the Yellow Jackets a 24-12 edge at halftime.
• As in the first two frames, the Spartans hit first in the third as Katie Bischoping sank a three just shy of a minute in, but Young hit a layup and a pair of free throws to give AIC a 28-17 advantage at 2:50. Both teams once again were slow to score for most of the frame, as each side managed just one field goal and one free throw in the next five minutes of play.
• Late in the quarter, AIC started to pull away; sophomore Julia Carbonell Munoz hit a layup and Perry added a pair of free throws, and then Robinson, Smith, and Young each hit shots from the line before Washington closed out the frame with a nifty move under the hoop for a lay-in after a pass from Perry, putting her team ahead 41-25 going to the final frame.
• Determined to put the game away, Smith and senior Nyrie Holliman sank threes in the first minute of the fourth to build the lead to 22, and the edge grew as large as 27 after Carbonell Munoz landed a jumper with 2:13 to play.
• AIC emptied the bench, with freshman Kirsten Dieni landing her first collegiate layup with 13 seconds remaining to close out the game and put AIC ahead by the final 57-35 margin.

UP NEXT:

• AIC aims to host Mercyhurst University for a pair of games on Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30, with times to be determined.
• Owing to continued restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spectators are not permitted for home games; the game will be available to stream for free on the NE10 Now Network.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC women's basketball team, follow@AICWBBonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Women's BasketballonFacebook.For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram,and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook