Sparkill, N.Y. - Despite Syrita Faraj recording her third straight double-double (eighth of the season) on Wednesday evening, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team dropped its sixth consecutive contest, falling to the University of the District of Columbia, 78-65 at Aquinas Hall.

STAC slips to 3-11 overall and 1-3 in ECC action, while UDC moves to 4-9 and 2-2.

Syrita Faraj posted game-highs in both points (30) and rebounds (18) for the maroon and gold, while teammate Abby Jacoby (13 points) also scored in double figures. Laci Johnson led the visiting Firebirds with 27 points.

St. Thomas Aquinas shot 33.9 percent from the field (21-62), while UDC shot 45.8 percent (33-72) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Trinity Cheatom led the maroon and gold with four assists on the evening.
• Syrita Faraj hit 10 of her 21 field goal attempts, with 4-of-8 shots sailing through the nets from long range. She also went 6-for-8 from the foul line. Meanwhile, Abby Jacoby went 5-for-13 from the floor.
• UDC out-rebounded STAC by 40-33 margin, with Faraj grabbing a game-high 18 boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas forced seven steals, with the Firebirds turning the ball over on 15 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over UDC: Bench Points (20-19) and Fastbreak Points (4-0).
• The game featured one tie and no lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed UDC 38-28 at the half and shot just 31.0 percent (9-of-29) from the field.
• Syrita Faraj led all Spartans scorers with 12 first half points, while shooting 67.0 percent from the field (6-for-9).

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Firebirds logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Laci Johnson led UDC with 27 points. Teammates Nia Ford (11 points) and Jada Bouknight (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Kristian Harris led UDC with four assists on the night.
• Johnson went 10-for-24 from the floor, 5-of-12 from three and 2-of-3 from the foul line, with Ford hitting 5 of her 14 field goal attempts.
• Jada Bouknight also grabbed a team-high 14 boards for the Firebirds.
• District of Columbia picked up four steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 13 separate occasions.
• The Firebirds earned advantages in three team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points off Turnovers (21-13), Second Chance Points (15-4) and Points in the Paint (50-20).
• UDC had its largest lead of the game (19 points) with four minutes to play in the third quarter, 53-34, on a Kensley Benjamin jumper.
• Laci Johnson led all scorers at the half with 14 points on 6-of-14 (43.0 percent) shooting from the field.
• UDC's best shooting quarter came in the opening frame, with the Firebirds shooting 50.0 percent (8-16) from the field 

UP NEXT:

STAC looks to snap their losing skid when they visit the College of Staten Island on Saturday, January 11. The Spartans and Dolphins are set to tangle at 1:00 p.m. inside of the CSI Sports and Recreation Center.