PURCHASE, N.Y. – A pair of double-doubles from
Faith Johnson-Desilvia (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead) and
Ali Mikaele (Silver Spring, Md./St. Andrew's Episcopal School) propelled the Manhattanville College women's basketball team to a week-opening win, defeating Skyline foe Sarah Lawrence 73-50. The win completes the regular-season sweep of the Gryphons, with Manhattanville improving to 14-6 overall and 10-5 in conference play.
The senior duo of Johnson-Desilvia and Mikaele combined for 27 points and 22 rebounds to lead to Valiants to victory. Johnson-Desilvia scored a team-high 17 with 11 rebounds, her third double-double in four games. Mikaele matched her classmates total off the glass with 11 boards while putting up 10. It was the fourth double-double of the season for Mikaele, her first since Dec. 11.
Jamison Agostino (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) scored 11, her second straight game in double-figures whilst playing 25 minutes off the bench.
Spencer Shore (Boca Raton, Fla./West Boca Raton) added nine rebounds, one game after matching her career-high with 10 on Saturday against USMMA. Shore also led the team with five rebounds, while
Niyona Smith (Towson, MD/Concordia Prep) blocked a pair of shots.
Despite a slow start for both teams, the Valiants jumped out to an 11-2 lead through the opening nine minutes of play. The Gryphons registered the final two baskets of the quarter, both courtesy of Kimiko Katzaroff to drop the Valiant lead down to 11-6.
A 9-2 Valiant run to begin the second quarter allowed the home team to stake a claim to a 12 point advantage with 6:51 left in the half. The Gryphons kept cutting the lead back down to single figures before the Valiants responded with baskets of their own, with back-to-back baskets by Agostino putting the hosts up 28-15 with 3:30 remaining. The Gryphons closed out with another run, this time a 7-0 streak, to send the teams to the locker room with Manhattanville up 28-22.
The Valiants were able to firmly take control with a 25-12 third quarter. Manhattanville used an 11-4 run in the middle of the period and shot 52 percent over the 10 minute span to pull ahead by 16. A Johnson-Desilvia jumper and a Shore three pointer to end the quarter extended the lead to 53-34 heading into the final 10.
The lead would continue to climb up to 24 as Manhattanville used an 8-4 run across the first two minutes of the fourth to keep momentum firmly on their side of the court. The Vals closed out the night 8-for-14 on free throw attempts to secure the win.
Up Next
Manhattanville stays local, heading up to Purchase College on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
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