SPARKILL, N.Y.- Caldwell University women's basketball senior Halle Brown (Downingtown, Pa.) scored 15 points as the Cougars fell short to regionally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas College 69-57 in a non-conference contest.
 
The Cougars fall to 2-3 on the season, while the Spartans improve to 4-1
 
Caldwell trailed 5-0 before ripped off a 10-3 run to take a three-point lead. Brown drained two three-pointers in the run and added a bucket to put the Cougars in front 10-7 with under four minutes to play in the first quarter.
 
The Spartans answered as they built a 24-12 lead early in the second quarter. Caldwell battled back as Brown converted a three-point play and senior Casey O'Shaughnessy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added a trifecta. Freshman Lucy Coogan (Kilkenny, Ireland) drained three free throws in the final seconds to close the gap to 35-31 at halftime.
 
St. Thomas Aquinas extended their lead to nine points in the third quarter but the Cougars rallied back to within two at 48-46 following a graduate Saundra Cleckley (Far Rockaway, N.Y.) lay-up. The Spartans pushed the score back to eight point early in the fourth but again the Cougars battled back. O'Shaughnessy drained a triple at the 6:05 mark to close the score to 55-53. The Spartans pulled away late in the game and held off the Cougars down the stretch.
 
Brown and O'Shaughnessy led the way with identical lines of 15 points, five rebounds and two assists. Coogan finished with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Cleckley added three steals and four rebounds. Senior Rebecca Morrison (Ayrshire, Scotland) led the team with nine boards.
 
The Cougars travel to Southern Connecticut State University for a non-conference game on Sunday, November 27 at 1 pm.