Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville women's basketball team dropped its final home contest of the 2012-13 season to the King's Monarchs on Saturday afternoon by the score of 79-58 at Kennedy Gymnasium. Sophomore Alyson Caiazzo (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Saviour) led the way with 17 points and 16 rebounds, while senior Taylor Wilson (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) added 16 and sophomore Bri Pabon (Newington, Conn./Newington) had 14 on the game.
 
Prior to the contest, Wilson and classmate Jennifer McSharar (Garnerville, N.Y./North Rockland) were honored before the contest with flowers and game-worn uniforms by head coach Kate Vlahakis. The 2013 senior class, including today's loss to King's, has compiled a 55-44 record in their four seasons with two games left on the schedule.
 
The loss also eliminated Manhattanville from playoff contention as the team will miss the Freedom Conference Tournament. Eastern and Misericordia are the lone two teams still in contention for the fourth and final playoff berth, while FDU-Florham King's and DeSales have all clinched bids.
 
The game started out with Monarch sharpshooter Celia Rader drilling a pair of three-pointers with a Caiazzo layup sandwiched between to put King's up 6-2. As play continued the Monarchs continued to pour on the points as they opened up an 11-point lead with just over five minutes gone by in the contest.
 
Freshman Ashley Raaf (Rockaway Beach, N.Y./Christ The King) sank a jumper from the wing followed by Pabon notching a layup as the pair pulled Manhattanville back within seven, which proved to be the closest Manhattanville got through the remainder of the contest.
 
King's continued to use both threats offensively in the paint and beyond the arc to open up a 29-14 lead. Raaf and Pabon again pulled the Valiants close with a two and three-point basket respectively to pull within ten, but again the Monarchs pulled away down the stretch of the first half and took a 16-point lead into the halftime break.
 
In the second half, Rader and classmate Katlin Michaels started the period off in flying fashion with back-to-back three-point baskets to open a 47-28 lead. Play continued with the Monarchs continuing to hold onto the comfortable 20-plus point lead, as they took their largest lead of the game at 27 with 3:19 left in the first half.
 
The Valiants finished the game on a 7-2 run on a pair of layups by Wilson, and a three-point basket from junior Shauna Mulkerin (Branchburg, N.J./Immaculata) but it was too little too late as King's had ranaway with the game and held on for the 21-point victory.
 
The home team struggled on a 31.9% shooting night, despite Caiazzo's 43.8% shooting individually. King's had a superb night shooting as they were above the 50% mark from the floor for the first time all season with an impressive 30-of-56 night, led by their five starters, who all reached double-figures in terms of points.
 
Manhattanville (10-12, 3-9 Freedom) will play its final two games of the season on the road starting with Delaware Valley on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. King's (18-5, 10-2 Freedom) will return home for its final two contest starting with Misericordia also on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.