PURCHASE, N.Y. – The 3Ds of junior Dolores Diemicke (North Massapequa, N.Y./Plainedge), senior Christie DeMarco (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream South) and junior Kerri Durkin (Mahopac, N.Y./John F. Kennedy Catholic) led the way for the Manhattanville College women's soccer team on both ends of the field as the Valiants picked up a crucial 2-0 MAC Freedom victory over FDU-Florham on Wednesday night at GoValiants.com Field.
 
The big win keeps Manhattanville (5-9-0, 1-4-0 MAC Freedom) very much alive in the race for the postseason, as the team sits just three points out of fourth place with two conference matches still on the ledger. FDU-Florham (8-7-2, 1-2-2 MAC Freedom) also is still alive, but missed out on a chance to cement its place in the top-four with the loss.
 
The Diemicke, DeMarco and Durkin trio did all the damage for the Valiants on the night, limiting FDU both offensively and defensively. DeMarco netted her eighth career game-winning goal just 3:17 into the contest and then picked up the assist on Durkin's goal, which came with just 12 seconds left in the opening half. Meanwhile, Diemicke turned aside a season-high 13 shots - including several great saves in the second half - to pick up her seventh career shutout.
 
The Valiants did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard on Wednesday night, with DeMarco finding the back of the net in the fourth minute. A pass from junior Melissa Barcia (Somers, N.Y./Somers) was stopped by the FDU defense, but DeMarco stole the ball from a Devil back and went in alone on keeper Annie George, tapping the ball past the goalie and depositing it into an empty net for her team-leading seventh goal of the year.
 
Manhattanville ended the half strongly as well, again thanks to some defensive pressure by DeMarco in the 45th minute. The senior won the ball in midfield and then fed a nice through ball to Durkin, who fired a shot off the right post that caromed all the way across the goal mouth and just over the line at the left post for a backbreaking tally.
 
Diemicke was credited with six saves in the first half, but the keeper was never seriously challenged by an FDU attack that was limited to mostly low-percentage attempts from long distance. FDU led in total shots, 7-6, but the Valiants exerted their authority over the Devis for much of the half and had all of the best chances on goal.
 
The second half followed a similar script, as the Valiants continued to limit the Devils to mostly long-range opportunities. Diemicke's first hard shot came in the 54th minute, when she stabbed a shot with pace from Brittni Calleo, and then kept FDU off the board again in the 62nd minute by diving to her right to deny Kelly Roche.
 
Diemicke polished off the clean sheet with another diving save at the left post with less than three minutes remaining, in the process moving her into a tie for fifth place all-time at Manhattanville with her seven career shutouts.
 
FDU-Florham finished the night with a slight 19-17 edge in shots, but was denied all match long by Diemicke and a staunch Valiant backline of senior Christie Freer (Southington, Conn./Southington) and the freshman trio of Alex Gardner (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad), Joanna Karp (Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK) and Dany Swidler (San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines).
 
Manhattanville will look to keep the momentum going on Saturday, when the Valiants travel to Delaware Valley University for another must-win matchup with the Aggies beginning at 2 p.m.