PURCHASE, N.Y. – A smothering defensive effort led the Manhattanville University women's basketball team to victory in Wednesday night's season opener against Ramapo. The 62-38 win marks the ninth-consecutive year that the Valiants begin the campaign with a 1-0 record, with the Roadrunners dropping to 0-3.
Taking to the floor for the first time after losing five key pieces of last year's roster, the new-look Valiants were led by freshman
Kathleen O'Mara (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman). The rookie shined in her debut, putting up a team-high 12 points with seven rebounds, six steal, four assists and a block. She trailed only
Niyona Smith's (Baltimore, MD/Concordia Prep) eight rebounds on the night, while her takeaway and dish total were tied for team highs.
Julie Debrocky (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) poured in 10 points in her first collegiate start to open up her junior campaign, while freshman
Madison Carlo (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) scored 11 in her 14 minutes off the bench.
Smith's eight boards paced the Valiants, with her three caroms off the offensive glass also setting a team-high.
Esther Ramos (Queens, N.Y./Forest Hills) provided six additional rebounds for Manhattanville.
The Valiant defense delivered a lockdown performance on opening night. In addition to holding the Roadrunners to a 1-for-7 mark from beyond the arc, Manhattanville recorded 19 steals as Ramapo turned the ball over 30 times.
It was a slow start to the night as both teams could muster just one basket apiece over the opening four minutes. Ramapo connected on its first shot of the affair on a Bailey Murrell jumper before Smith delivered the first Valiant points of the new campaign with a layup two minutes later. The Roadrunners put in the next two baskets but the Valiants started to find their footing over the final four minutes of the quarter. Manhattanville closed out the frame on a 13-2 run, with O'Mara ending the quarter with a steal and fastbreak layup going the other way ahead of the buzzer to put the Valiants up 15-8.
The Valiants continued to get into a rhythm, shooting 50 percent in the second quarter, including a 4-for-8 clip from deep. After a Roadrunner layup began the period, Debrocky and Tucker went on a nine-point run amongst themselves to spot the home side a 14-point advantage at 24-10. Ramapo would not get back within single digits as Manhattanville maintained separation following three-pointers by Debrocky,
Madison Carlo (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) and
Kumi Tamura (Los Angeles, Calif./Marlborough School) to take a 39-21 lead into the half.
While unable to match the hot success from the floor over the rest of the night, the Valiants allowed just seven field goals over the final 20 minutes to shut down the Roadrunner offense. O'Mara connected on Manhattanville's first three baskets of the second half to bring the Valiant lead up to 22. Ramapo chipped six points off the deficit before a Carlo three-pointer and Debrocky layup sandwiched a Roadrunner free throw to reestablish the 20-point lead at 52-32.
Ramapo couldn't find a hole in the Valiant defense, shooting 12 percent in the fourth with just a pair of field goals and two free throws to end the night. While the Valiant offense was limited to a game-low 10 points in the quarter, it was more than enough to get the season started with a win, closing out the 62-38 victory.
Up Next
Manhattanville's first road test comes on Friday, taking on SUNY Morrisville at 5 p.m.
VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads and YouTube. #WeAreValiant #GoValiants
