Boxscore

PURCHASE, N.Y. – Free throws came into effect in the Freedom Conference Tournament Semifinals, but it wasn't for the Manhattanville women's basketball team as the Valiants fell 57-51 to Misericordia University on Wednesday evening at Kennedy Gym.

Manhattanville (17-9, 10-4 Freedom), looking for their straight third trip back to the Freedom Conference Championship Game, ended the season as the Misericordia (16-10, 9-5 Freedom) excelled at the line connecting on 20-of-22 for 91 percent. The Cougars finished the contest making all 12 chances at the stripe in the final 2:30 of the contest to secure the win. 

Leading the Valiants in scoring was junior Courtney Turner (Staten Island, N.Y./Ralph McKee) with 15 points and eight rebounds. Senior Simona Gordon (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) finished her career eighth all-time in program history with 1,178 points after scoring nine in her final contest as a Valiant. Classmate Carey Hickey (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) finished her time as a Valiant breaking another career milestone, becoming just the second Valiant to reach 500 assists by ending the night with four helpers to give her 503 for her career. Junior Kelli Hyjek (Tolland, Conn./Tolland) had eight points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field.

The contest was never controlled by either team as 15 lead changes took place and six ties, making this a nail bitter to the finish. Misericordia's Christine Marks proved her Conference Player of the Year award by scoring the first six points for her team beginning with an old-fashion three-point play and then stepping back and launching the trifecta to give the Cougars a 6-4 lead with 15:34 left in the first half.

The Valiants took a 10-8 lead after sophomore Taylor Wilson (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) drove to the lane for a layup with 11:33 left. Marks regained the lead for her team when she made her second long-distance shot, giving the Cougars a 13-12 edge with 9:20 remaining.

Manhattanville responded with their own three-pointer by sophomore Janetta Arnold (Windsor, Conn./Suffield Academy) to take a three-point lead, 16-13. Misericordia tied the contest for the fourth time and took a three-point lead of their own on four consecutive free throws made by Jesse Robinson and Hannah Seely.

Manhattanville ended the half with a jumper by Turner to regain a 24-23 lead. Turner led all scorers at the half with 10 points. Marks nearly had a double-double with nine points and nine boards in 18 minutes of the first period.

The Valiants grabbed a four-point lead two minutes into the half as Turner launched a shot from behind the arc to give the Valiants a 29-25 lead. Both teams traded baskets for a majority of the half, with neither team taking a lead over four points until late in the contest.

Misericordia pulled away for good after tying the game for the sixth and final time on free throws by Seely with 2:07 left. The Valiants made a last-ditch effort as Gordon made a dart-like three-pointer to cut the deficit to four, 55-51, with 14 seconds remaining, but Seely concluded the game with her fifth and sixth made free throws of the contest with six seconds left.

The Cougars will take on Desales University on Saturday afternoon with the winner heading to the NCAA Division III Tournament.