NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Long Island Sharks used a decisive third-quarter surge to pull away from the Stonehill Skyhawks and secure a 72-59 victory in a Northeast Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Wellness, Recreation & Athletic Center.

A crowd of 182 saw the Sharks improve to 11-7 overall, while the Skyhawks fell to 6-12.

The game’s pivotal stretch came after halftime. Stonehill, which led 30-32 at the break after a strong first quarter, saw its offense stagnate in the third. The Skyhawks managed only 11 points in the period. Meanwhile, Long Island found its rhythm, attacking the paint and capitalizing on Stonehill turnovers to pour in 20 points. That nine-point swing turned a narrow two-point deficit into a 52-41 lead for the Sharks heading into the final quarter.

Long Island’s balance proved too much for Stonehill’s top-heavy scoring. Solangelei Akridge, a guard from Spring Valley, California, led the Sharks with 15 points and four assists, hitting three critical 3-pointers. Janessa Williams added 14 points, three assists and relentless defense, while Kionna Gaines provided 11 points off the bench. In the post, 6-foot-3 center Kadidia Toure of Silver Spring, Maryland, controlled the interior with 10 points, three assists and two blocks, altering numerous other shots.

Stonehill relied heavily on its starting backcourt. Julia Webster, a 6-foot guard from Cumberland, Rhode Island, scored a game-high 18 points in 34 minutes. Fellow guard Brooke Paquette of Hudson, New Hampshire, contributed 17 points and four assists. Ella Pelletier added 13 points, but the Skyhawks’ offense could not sustain its early pace against Long Island’s defensive pressure.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair. Stonehill started quickly, with Paquette and Pelletier hitting early 3-pointers to help build a 20-17 lead after one quarter. The Sharks tightened their defense in the second, holding the Skyhawks to just 10 points, and took their first multi-possession lead before Stonehill closed the gap to two at intermission.

The third-quarter run by Long Island, however, established a cushion that Stonehill could not overcome. The Skyhawks cut the lead to single digits several times in the fourth, but the Sharks always had an answer, often from Akridge or Williams, to maintain control. Stonehill’s final push was hampered by turnovers, with Long Island recording 10 steals as a team.

Breana Delaney facilitated the Stonehill offense with seven assists to go with eight points. For Long Island, Camille Wiley chipped in nine points and Hannah Humphrey added seven, including a key fourth-quarter 3-pointer.

Long Island, which entered the game with a 61.7 percent win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, will host Wagner on Saturday. Stonehill travels to face Central Connecticut on Saturday.