PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's basketball team defeated the Skyline Conference defending Champion the United States Merchant Marine Academy 75-51 tonight, Dec. 3. Junior Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) set a new Manhattanville all-time single game scoring record as she totaled 45 points during tonight's match. Coutu passed Hall of Famer Theresa Carey's previous set record of 42 points set in 1980 against the State University of New York College at Oneonta.
 
The Valiants (4-1,2-1 Skyline) were first on the board as Coutu made a layup in the paint. She then followed with two back-to-back jumpers to put Manhattanville up by four. USMMA (3-1, 2-1 Skyline) inched their way to a lead change as Kiana Vega sank a three but sophomore Ali Mikaele (Silver Spring, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal School) made two free throws to give Manhattanville more of a lead. Coutu ended the first with a total of 11 points. Sophomore Faith Johnson-Desilvia (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead) and Claudia Valentin (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin School) also added points to the score to end the quarter 16-14 in the Valiant's favor.
 
Coutu once again was the first to put points on the board for both teams in the second. Junior Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) followed with a jump shot to put the Valiants ahead by four. After Coutu hit a three-pointer the Valiants started to separate themselves from Merchant Marine. Johnson-Desilvia and Fields were both fouled and each made a pair of free throws to give Manhattanville a nine-point lead.
 
Before the Mariners could respond Johnson-Desilvia stole the ball and then made a breakaway layup. After that, Coutu made a steal and made a layup for herself. Following Coutu's caused turnover Johnson-Desilvia made two more steals with corresponding layups. This sequence increased the score to 35-18 with three minutes still left in the half. Later, Shore made a three pointer and Coutu made a step back jumper at the buzzard to close the half. Junior Amanda Pemberton (Las Vegas, Nev./Liberty) led the Valiants in rebounds in the first half grabbing five as Fields followed with four.
 
USMMA scored the first six points of the third but then Coutu broke drought with a made layup. Johnson-Desilvia and Pemberton were the next Valiants to score as they each banked a layup. Coutu went up for a three later in the third, she was fouled on her way down after she sank her shot. She made her granted free throw and gave Manhattanville a comfortable 17-point lead. Before the quarter ended Mikaele found Fields in the paint who then made a jumper and Pemberton passed the ball out to Coutu for a three.
 
In the final quarter, Coutu made two jump shots that were both assisted by Mikaele. The Valiants let USMMA score six unanswered points until Coutu stepped up once again to notch a layup. As points traded off between the teams Pemberton put up a layup assisted by Johnson-Desilvia and Shore made a pair of free throws to make the score 72-51.
 
At this point Coutu was tied with the all-time points record as she notched 42. With less than two minutes left she grabbed the rebound off USMMA's Madison Demos' shot dribbled down the court and sank a three to beat the all-time record. Coutu's final shot totaled her for 45 points on the night and was the last point of the game.
 
Coutu led Manhattanville in points and assists as she gave out four. Pemberton and Fields were tied for first in rebounds grabbing nine each. Fields was the only Valiant to block any shots and totaled three.
 
The squad will next face Sarah Lawrence College as they host them in Purchase, N.Y., in Kennedy Gym, this Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m.