PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's basketball team fell to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom-leading #16/#13 DeSales University Bulldogs 71-40 Wednesday night, Feb. 6 from Kennedy Gymnasium.

Senior Kayleah McGuire (Somers, N.Y./Somers) led Manhattanville (16-5, 7-4 MACF) with eight points & six rebounds and sophomore Jykayla Elting (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals; sophomore Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) and freshman Ali Mikaele (Silver Spring, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal School) both added seven points apiece. Bridget Walsh led DeSales (20-2, 11-0 MACF) with a game-high 26 points and eight rebounds.

Walsh scored eight of DeSales' first 10 points in the first quarter, as the visitors opened a 10-6 lead at the under-4:00 mark. The Bulldogs opened a 20-8 lead before a McGuire free throw and three-pointer from sophomore Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) cut the margin to 20-12 at the end of the quarter.

The Valiants cut the deficit to 24-20 at the midway point of the second quarter, but Walsh scored the Bulldogs' final eight points of the half as DeSales took a 32-22 lead to the locker room. Sophomore Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) finished the first half with six points and four rebounds.

The Bulldogs maintained that double-digit lead throughout the second half, outscoring Manhattanville 39-18 over the final 20 minutes.

With Delaware Valley University's 77-62 win over King's College, the Valiants remained in third place in the MAC Freedom standings. The Valiants can clinch a MAC Freedom Tournament berth Saturday, Feb. 9 with a win over the Eastern University Eagles. Tip time is set for 1 p.m. from St. Davids, Pa.