WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Felician College women's basketball team shot 29 percent from the field and committed a season-high 32 turnovers in its 67-51 non-conference loss to host University of the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon at UDC Gymnasium. The contest closed out Day 1 of the two-day, four-team D.C. Winter Classic.

Junior guard Jac'Quel Saunders (Trenton, N.J.) led Felician (4-8) with 13 points. Freshman forward Sierra McDuffie (Paterson, N.J.) led all players on the day with eight rebounds.

UDC (6-5) never trailed in the game, opening up an early 11-2 lead. While the Golden Falcons would close the deficit to 12-11, the game's key stretch was a cold streak by the Felician offense spanning halftime.

Leading by five, the Firebirds outscored Felician, 5-0, over the final 3 1/2 minutes of the opening period for a 36-26 halftime advantage. The Golden Falcons remained stuck on 26 points for the first 4:57 of the second half, by which time the hosts had built an 18-point edge.

Two Ashley Morris (East Orange, N.J.) free throws capped a 9-0 run which brought the Golden Falcons to within an eight-point deficit with 10:40 to play. Felician got as close as 49-42 at the 7:43 mark, but five consecutive points by UDC junior Julissa Anderson (Greensboro, N.C.) ended the visitors' comeback hopes.

Guards Shakeena Green (New York, N.Y.) and Gisell Peguero (Brooklyn, N.Y.) netted nine points each for Felician. The Firebirds' Janelle Junior (Riverside, Calif.) led all players with 15.

Felician completes play in the tournament with a match-up against nationally-ranked Shaw University on Sunday.