PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's basketball team dropped a 76-64 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom affair to the Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) – Florham Devils Wednesday, Feb. 13 from Kennedy Gymnasium.

Manhattanville (16-7, 7-6 MACF) did lock up the #3 seed in the MAC Freedom Tournament by virtue of losses by both the King's College Monarchs and the Eastern University Eagles. It's the Valiants first MAC Freedom Tournament appearance since the 2015-16 season.

For the Valiants, six players scored at least eight points each, led by senior Kayleah McGuire (Somers, N.Y./Somers), who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double in her last six games. The starting sophomore backcourt of Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) and Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) combined for 22 points – including 18 via three-pointers – and 11 rebounds, while fellow sophomore Amanda Pemberton (Las Vegas, Nev./Liberty) finished with eight points and a career-high nine rebounds, six coming on the offensive glass and freshman Ali Mikaele (Silver Spring, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal School) finished with nine points and a season-best 15 rebounds. Senior Geena Catalano (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) added nine points and four rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench.

Kayla Croswell finished with a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds, one of four players with at least 12 points on the night for FDU-Florham (8-16, 3-10 MACF).

The Devils led throughout the night, managing just enough of an answer for every big Manhattanville run. FDU held an 11-point advantage on several occasions in the first quarter, carrying a 15-6 lead to the second.
After scoring the opening bucket of the second quarter for a 17-6 lead, FDU conceded eight of the next 10 points as Manhattanville closed to within five at 19-14. The Devils responded with a bigger run, however, scoring 10 straight points, opening a 29-14 cushion with 3:23 left in the half. Manhattanville reeled off six straight points of its own, closing to 29-20, but FDU quickly pushed the margin back into double digits, 34-22, at the half.

Down 36-24 in the third, a pair of three-pointers from Shore highlighted a 14-6 run that pulled Manhattanville within four at 42-38. The teams then traded major runs – 9-0 for FDU, followed by 7-0 for Manhattanville, followed by 10-4 FDU – to end the quarter with FDU on top 61-49. FDU maintained that double-digit lead throughout the final 10 minutes, as Manhattanville pulled within 10 on two occasions, but drew no closer.

Before the game, the Valiants' three seniors – McGuire, Catalano, and Jess Nichols-Larosa (Randolph, Mass./Randolph) – were honored for their contributions to the program over their last four years.

The Valiants will wrap up the 2018-19 regular season Saturday, Feb. 16 on the road at 1 p.m. against King's before hitting the road Wednesday, Feb. 20 for a MAC Freedom Tournament semifinal against the Misericordia University Cougars. The teams split their season series, 1-1.