ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – The Manhattanville College women's basketball team scored 23 of the game's final 35 points to rally for a 62-53 victory against Eastern University in MAC Freedom play Saturday afternoon.

In a game relatively even across the stat sheet, Manhattanville (13-2, 4-1 MACF) finished with a 27-7 margin in points from the free throw line. Junior Kayleah McGuire (Somers, N.Y./Somers) and freshman Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) combined for 38 points -- including 13 of the team's final 15 -- and 14 rebounds; 20 of their 38 points came from the foul line.

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair featuring four lead changes, five ties and neither team leading by more than four points. Sophomore Kymane Jones (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville ) scored four of the Valiants' first eight points, while McGuire finished the quarter with seven.

Manhattanville grabbed a six point-lead in the second quarter, and still held a five-point lead at the midway point of the period before Eastern (4-13, 1-5 MACF) reeled off six straight points for a 25-24 lead. Manhattanville grabbed the lead back a minute later on a three-pointer from freshman Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton), but Eastern took the lead back on a lay-up and free throw from Brianna Young-Harris. The Valiants squared things at 28 at the half following a free throw from Coutu.

Two more Coutu free throws gave Manhattanville a 30-28 lead 76 seconds into the third quarter, a lead they held to the final seconds before a three-point shot by Eastern's Da'Naziah Brown gave the Eagles a 37-35 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

Eastern still led 41-39 with 7:41 to play before Manhattanville went on an 8-0 run, started by two free throws by senior Joiada Darnell (St. Albans, N.Y./Humanities and the Arts) and capped by two free throws from McGuire. The Valiants led by at least four points the rest of the way.

Darnell finished with a well-rounded six points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. For Eastern, Young-Harris finished with 14 points, while Brown finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the game's only double-double.

Manhattanville continues MAC Freedom play at Kennedy Gymnasium Wednesday night with an 8:00 p.m. tip against reigning five-time conference champion FDU-Florham.