Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

The Official Home of Goldey-Beacom College Athletics

Kulesza25-7net
72
Winner Goldey-Beacom GOLDEY-B 2-10
69
St. Thomas Aquinas ST. THOM 3-8
Winner
Goldey-Beacom GOLDEY-B
2-10
72
Final
69
St. Thomas Aquinas ST. THOM
3-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Goldey-Beacom GOLDEY-B 16 24 16 16 72
St. Thomas Aquinas ST. THOM 15 13 25 16 69

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Julie Kulesza Scores 31 Points in Women’s Basketball’s 72-69 Victory at Saint Thomas Aquinas



Senior Julie Kulesza (Wilmington, DE) was a one-person wrecking crew, pouring in a career-best 31 points as Goldey-Beacom held on in the closing seconds for a 72-69 win at Saint Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill, NY.
 
After junior Karlee Lemon (Williamsburg, VA) hit a 3-pointer to put the Lightning up 64-61 with 3:46 left, Syrita Faraj scored the next four points to give the Spartans a one-point lead.  She hit a layup with 3:28 to go and canned two free throws with 2:47 remaining.
 
With all attention on Kulesza, Goldey-Beacom needed another option and it was sophomore Katie Yoder (Dublin, PA) who came through.  Her layup with 2:42 remaining gave her squad a 66-65 cushion.
 
Kulesza's layup with 1:55 left made it 68-65 before Abby Jacoby followed suit with 93 seconds left for another one-point game.
 
It remained 68-67 when STAC had the ball looking for the lead.  Trinity Cheatom drove to the goal looking to be the hero, but senior Julie McCarron (Wilmington, DE) drew a massive charge with 27 seconds left and GBC got the ball.
 
After Kulesza hit twice from the line with 23 seconds to go for a 72-69 margin, Faraj's layup with 13 seconds remaining again made it a one-point difference.
 
Yoder nailed a pair from the stripe with 9.7 seconds remaining for a 72-69 game and the Spartans called timeout looking for the tie.  They went for a quick 3-pointer, but Jacoby misfired and the ball did not get outside the three-point arc before time ran out.
 
Kulesza, named to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Weekly Honor Roll each of the last two weeks, shot 12-of-21 from the floor and hauled in 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.  She has averaged 27.0 points over her last two contests and has scored in double figures 10 times this season.
 
Kulesza's total is the most points for a Lightning player since junior Rory Ciszkowski (Wilmington, DE) scored 32 points January 23, 2024 at Wilmington.  The school record is 39 points from Cherrise Graham on January 6, 2007 at Nyack.
 
Yoder poured in 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting, McCarron scored nine with Lemon adding eight for the Lightning (2-10).
 
Faraj scored 17 points, Jacoby netted 16 with Cheatom adding 14 for the Spartans (3-8).
 
The first half belonged to Kulesza, who dominated with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go with seven rebounds and two 3-pointers.  She netted 14 points in the second quarter, when the Lightning outscored the Spartans 24-13 by shooting 64 percent (9-of-14) from the floor with four 3-pointers.
 
Goldey-Beacom for the half shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field with eight 3-pointers.
 
The third period saw STAC outscore GBC 25-16 in closing to a 55-53 deficit.  Cheatom netted six points in that time and Jacoby added five for the Spartans, who shot 61 percent (11-of-18) from the floor and forced the Lightning into four turnovers.
 
Goldey-Beacom is home Saturday against American International, beginning at 1:00 pm.
 
Print Friendly Version