JAMAICA, N.Y. – After a two week break the Manhattanville College women's basketball team started the second half of their season with a large margin win over York College. The Valiants defeated the Cardinals 67-44 today, Dec. 30.
Manhattanville (7-1) dominated the first half leading York (3-6) 38-17. Junior
Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) started the ball game off for the Valiants securing two made foul shots. The Cardinals responded with a two pointer but Coutu quickly threw up a three after to keep Manhattanville in the lead.
Junior
Amanda Pemberton (Las Vegas, Nev./Liberty) and Coutu each notched a steal before the next basket was made by sophomore
Ali Mikaele (Silver Spring, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal School). When sophomore
Faith Johnson-Desilvia (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead) checked into the game she immediately dished off an assist to freshman
Madison Fields (Grantsville, Utah/Grantsville) and then credited a layup to make the score 11-5. Sophomore
Claudia Valentin (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin School) started the 13 point run for Manhattanville after making a layup in the paint. Coutu notched the last two points of the run putting the Valiants up 24-12 at the end of the first.
It took about two minutes for a point to get on the board in the second after multiple shots were missed on both sides of the court. Johnson-Desilvia opened up play with a layup but then the game went scoreless again for three minutes. Pemberton broke the drought by intercepting the ball from the Cardinals, dribbling it down and notching a fast break layup in the paint. Pemberton, Coutu, Johnson-Desilvia and junior
Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) were the only Valiants who recorded points in the second. However, Fields and Pemberton led the team in rebounds at this point totaling six apiece.
The third quarter was the only quarter York outscored Manhattanville. Fields and Valentin each made two steals and two of them were converted into fast break layups.
Even though Manhattanville was up 22 to start the final quarter both team traded off points. Shore was a big contributor as she scored seven points and grabbed one rebound. She also led the team in points in the second half totaling 11. Field in the second half alone grabbed three steals and four rebounds.
The Valiants converted a total of 33 points after causing turnovers and made three second chance baskets. Coutu lead the team in points once again with 16 and Pemberton followed with 15. Fields lead the team in rebounds with 10, three of them being offensive as Pemberton followed again with 8. Valentin scored seven points and made seven steals on the night.
The Valiants will return to Kennedy Gymnasium this Saturday, Jan. 4, as they take on Skyline Conference opponent the College of Mount Saint Vincent at 2:00 p.m.
