SPARKILL, N.Y. - Aquillin Hayes (Harlem, N.Y./Wings Academy) posted a game-high 23 points and brought in 14 rebounds to lead the University of New Haven women's basketball team to a 79-57 victory at Saint Thomas Aquinas Sunday afternoon in a non-conference matchup of former ECC foes. The Chargers led for nearly the entire game and had a total of five players score double figures.

With the win, New Haven improved to 2-0 on the season. It was the season opener for the Spartans.

Despite being in foul trouble and not playing a majority of the second half, Hayes sunk 11-of-18 total field goal attempts and went 1-for-3 at the charity stripe for her 23 points. She hit the offensive glass and brought down three, while recording 11 defensive rebounds. In her second consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound performance to open the season, the Harlem, N.Y. native added two blocks, one steal and one assist to her statline.

Bria Moore (West Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career) was second on the team with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting. She also grabbed seven rebounds, a block and an assist in 34 minutes of play. Elizabeth Cruso (Westerly, R.I./Westerly), Briana Bradford (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross) and Lauren Hebert (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) each scored 10 points for New Haven. Hebert led the group with eight rebounds and two assists.

As a team, the Blue and Gold out-rebounded STAC 46-42 and held a dominating 44-20 lead in points in the paint. The Chargers also led 25-7 in second chance points. The Chargers shot 44.3 percent from the field, while hitting just 15-of-27 at the foul line. UNH was in foul trouble much of the afternoon as Hayes and Cruso both finished with four personal fouls, while Sade King (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon / Hampton University) fouled out later in the second half.

Jenna Erickson led the Spartans with 17 points in the loss. Kristen Olsen added 11 points and seven rebounds.

UNH and STAC opened the game with fast-paced offense and Bradford put the Chargers ahead 16-8 with a jumper in transition at the 15:34 mark. The Spartans chipped away at the UNH lead over the next five minutes and evened the game at 20-20 at the 10:20 mark. St. Thomas Aquinas carried the momentum and took their only lead of the game in the 13th minute of the contest. A traditional and-one play put STAC ahead 25-24 with 7:57 remaining in the first half. After exchanging the lead one more time, Hebert put in a layup at the 5:05 mark and put the Chargers ahead for good. A pair of Bradford free throws in the final 30 seconds gave New Haven a 41-34 lead at halftime.

The second half belonged to the Chargers. Cruso connected from three-point territory to give UNH its first double digit lead, while another two Bradford free throws put the Chargers ahead by 10 for good with 12:39 left. New Haven cruised down the stretch, leading by as many as 24 points in the final three minutes. 

In total, New Haven led for 35:25, STAC led for just 49 seconds and the game was tied for 3:20.

After a pair of non-conference games opened the 2014-15 campaign, the Chargers start Northeast-10 Conference play on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at Le Moyne in their first of back-to-back NE-10 road contests. New Haven and the Dolphins tipoff at 5 p.m. in Syracuse.