EAST ROCKAWAY, N.Y. (Oct. 29, 2016) - The Molloy College field hockey team played a competitive contest with Saint Thomas Aquinas on Saturday (Oct. 29) but it was the Spartans that came out on top in the contest by a 2-1 final at Bay Park in East Rockaway. With the win, STAC improves to 2-14 on the season while Molloy falls to 1-12 in its inaugural campaign.

Saint Thomas Aquinas scored the game's first goal in the eighth minute of action, as Alexandra Vippolis (Stony Point, N.Y.) tipped in a pass from Carley Davin (Nanuet, N.Y.) past the reach of goalie Arianna Ovadia (East Meadow, N.Y.). The goal was on STAC's second shot of the contest and the Spartans would ultimately outshoot the Lions by a 14-1 margin in the first thirty-five minutes. The Spartans would pepper the net with shot attempts and then the insurance marker came in the 28th minute on a penalty stroke goal by Louise Richardson (Perth, Australia). The two-goal lead did not last for the visitors as Molloy would cut the lead in half two minutes later. Off of a penalty corner from Jillian Barbieri (Lake Grove, N.Y.), senior Jenna Stevenson (Rocky Point, N.Y.) fed teammate Jessica Waszcak (Northport, N.Y.) who would then direct a ball towards the net. The attempt was tipped in by Ellyn Byrnes (Huntington, N.Y.) for her first career goal to bring Molloy back within one. That, however, would be the last goal scored of the contest as STAC held Molloy down to an overall shots advantage of 32-2.

Ovadia, who was one of four seniors honored in a pre-game ceremony, made 17 saves in net with defender Kelly Saronka (Wantagh, N.Y.) taking a defensive save as well.

Molloy wraps up the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 5) when the Lions host Queens University of Charlotte in an 11 a.m. contest at Cedar Creek Park in Seaford.