WILKES-BARRE, PA (September 23, 2018) -- The visiting Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas College used three first half goals Sunday to propel them to a 3-0 non-conference victory over the King's College field hockey team in non-conference play from Betzler Field in McCarthy Stadium. 

The Spartans wasted no time taking the early lead, as Briannah Thorne scored her sixth goal of the season, knocking in a rebound of her own shot at 4:53 to give STAC (3-7) the advantage. The Spartans kept the pressure on, and doubled their lead at 14:56 on a nice passing play down the left sideline. Briannah Thorne was fed a nice ball along the wing, and fired a cross into the circle where Jacqueline Dowling got her stick on the pass, knocking it into an empty right corner of the cage. 

St. Thomas Aquinas would notch another goal in the 30th minute, as Alexandra Vippolis was credited with a goal after her deflection of a pass in front bounced off the post, then off King's keeper Brianne Maluda back into the cage for the score. 

King's best attempt of the first half came in the 32nd minute, but back-to-back attempts from Jolee Treslar were stopped by STAC netminder Suzanne Clarke. In the second half, King's had the run of action earning six penalty corners, keeping the Spartans hemmed in their own zone. Unfortunately, the Monarchs were unable to get back into the game, falling to 5-5 on the year. 

STAC outshot the Monarchs 13-6 despite winning the penalty corner battle 7-1. Kelsey Gabriele led the Monarchs with three shots, two coming on goal, while Connie Mangino also had a shot for King's. Maluda finished with four saves in 35 minutes of action, while Dervla Mcerlean made one stop in her half of play for the Monarchs. 

The Monarchs will jump back into conference play next Saturday, September 29 at 11 a.m., taking on local rival Misericordia University in McCarthy Stadium.