CENTER VALLEY, PA – A big game-opening run by the Bulldogs proved to be too much to overcome as the Manhattanville College women's basketball team dropped a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom game to conference preseason favorite DeSales University Wednesday, Jan. 16, by a score of 84-56.

Sophomore Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) just missed her first collegiate double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds, both career-highs, to lead Manhattanville (12-3, 3-2 MACF); fellow sophomore Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) finished with 12 and senior Kayleah McGuire (Somers, N.Y./Somers) added 11. Averi Jordan finished with a game-high 30 points for DeSales (14-2, 5-0 MACF) while Samantha Shinkus added 21 and nine rebounds.

The Bulldogs took control with the game's first 15 points, though the Valiants did eventually close to within six points, 22-16 in the second quarter. The teams traded mini-runs (7-0 for DeSales, followed by 5-0 for Manhattanville) before Shinkus ended the opening half with a three-pointer, giving DeSales a 32-21 halftime lead.

The second half began much in the same way the first half did as the Bulldogs went on a 14-3 run, opening a 47-25 lead. The Valiants drew no closer than 16 points the rest of the game, as DeSales had an answer for every Manhattanville rally. DeSales' size was a key factor the entire night, as the Bulldogs out-rebounded Manhattanville 53-26 and finished with a 40-14 advantage in points in the paint.

Manhattanville continues MAC Freedom play at Kennedy Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 19 with a 1 p.m. tip-off against the Eastern University Eagles.