Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team suffered an uncomfortable 80-51 defeat at the hands of the University of the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium.

STAC falls to 4-14 overall and 2-5 in ECC action, while UDC moves to 6-11 and 2-5.

Cassidy Mahaney led maroon and gold offense with 11 points, while Toni Schuetze also posted double figures in scoring with 10 points. Meanwhile, Aiyana Ellis led all scorers, recording 18 points for the visiting Firebirds.

St. Thomas Aquinas shot 35.4 percent (17-48) from the field and 83.3 percent (10-12) from the foul line, while District of Columbia shot 43.5 percent (27-62) from the floor and 45.0 percent (9-20) from beyond the arc.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Bailey Chapman led the maroon and gold with two assists on the afternoon.
• Cassidy Mahaney hit 4 of her 10 field goal attempts, with 3-of-6 shots going in from long range. Toni Schuetze popped in 2-of-6 field goals, with 2-of-5 attempts sailing through the nets from distance. She also went 4-for-4 from the foul line.
• UDC out-rebounded STAC by a 41-30 margin, with Angela Williams and Cassidy Mahaney grabbing a team-high five boards apiece for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up two steals, with the Firebirds turning the ball over on 12 separate occasions.
• The game featured three ties and seven lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed District of Columbia, 38-23 at the half and shot 33.3 percent (8-24) from the field, 41.7 percent (5-12) from three and 100.0 percent (2-2) from the foul line.
• Abby Jacoby and Cassidy Mahaney led all Spartans' scorers with six first half points apiece.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Firebirds logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Aiyana Ellis led all scorers with 18 points for District of Columbia, while teammates Maya Johnson (14 points), Dashani Coleman (13 points), LeAsia Todd (11 points) and Aliyah Eason (11 points) also scored in double digits.
• Kristian Harris led District of Columbia with four assists on the day.
• Ellis went 7-for-14 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe, with Johnson hitting 4 of her 8 field goal attempts and 3-of-6 shots connecting from beyond the arc.
• Kristian Harris and Shaima James Lewis grabbed a game-high eight boards apiece for the Firebirds.
• District of Columbia picked up eight steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 20 separate occasions.
• The Firebirds earned advantages in five team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points off Turnovers (30-7), Second Chance Points (17-0), Points in the Paint (32-16), Fastbreak Points (8-2) and Bench Points (27-19).
• District of Columbia had its largest lead of the game (29 points) with just over a minute to play in the contest, 78-49, on a Calista Gaymon free throw.
• Aiyana Ellis led all scorers at the half with 12 points for the Firebirds, while shooting 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from the floor and 80.0 percent (4-of-5) from the free-throw line.
• UDC's best shooting quarter came in the second stanza, with the Firebirds shooting 50.0 percent (5-10) from the field and 60.0 percent (3-5) from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT:

STAC welcomes Molloy University to Aquinas Hall on Wednesday, January 21, with the opening tip scheduled for 5:00 p.m.