BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's basketball team took their second loss of the season today, Jan. 25, against St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn. The Valaints haven't lost since Nov. 23, when they last visited Mount Saint Mary College. The Bears pulled away from the Crimson and White late in the fourth quarter to end the game at 57-54.
 
Freshman Olivia Kelley (Averill Park, N.Y./Averill Park) joined the starting lineup and grabbed three rebounds and one seal in her first five minutes of play. The Valiants (14-2,10-2) trailed the Bears (10-7,8-4) until sophomore Faith Johnson-Desilvia (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead) checked into the game and tied the game at seven. After the Valiants fell behind again Johnson-Desilvia hit another tying shot making the score 15-15. Junior Amanda Pemberton (Las Vegas, Nev./Liberty) was able to get the next shot off with six seconds left in the first to pull Manhattanville ahead by two.  
 
There was only one steal from either teams in the second and it came from junior Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton). She took the ball from St. Joe's Emma Kiley and then threw it down court to sophomore Claudia Valentin (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin School) who then made a layup. This play brought the Valiants ahead 30-23. Valentin additionally made two free throws before closing out the half.
 
Kelley and Pemberton tied for first on the team with steals each notching two. In the opening minutes of the third Kelley caused a turnover and then pushed the ball up court to junior Sarah Coutu (Cranston, R.I./Cranston East) for a breakaway layup. Freshman Madison Fields (Grantsville, Utah/Grantsville) made six rebounds throughout the game but made three defensive and one offensive in the third quarter alone.
 
Pemberton notched her second steal of the night in the first 15 seconds of the final quarter. Johnson-Desilvia lead Manhattanville in points notching 16 and eight in the final minutes of the game. Her points in the fourth along with Shore hitting a three-pointer, Coutu with a jumper and Pemberton with a foul shot were not enough to sneak past the Bears.
 
The Valiants will return to Kennedy Gymnasium and host two Skyline Conference matchups this week. First they will face Saint Joseph's College-Long Island on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 6:00 p.m. After, they will host Old Westbury on Thursday, Jan. 30. at 6:00 p.m.