PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's basketball team couldn't erase a ten-point opening quarter deficit, falling to the visiting Brooklyn College on Friday night by a final of 72-66. The Valiants drop to 1-2 overall, while the four-time reigning CUNYAC champion Bulldogs improve to 3-0.

Esther Ramos (Queens, N.Y./Forest Hills) scored a career-high 27 points in the loss, shooting 12-of-18 from the field. Ramos drilled a pair of shots from deep. The senior also came down with a team-leading nine rebounds while handing out three assists, blocking a shot and logging two steals.

Julie DeBrocky (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) and Amanda Orlando (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) joined their senior classmate in double-figures with 12 and 11 points respectively in their starts. DeBrocky did all of her damage from downtown with four three-pointers, while Orlando shot 5-of-7 from close range and added a free throw. The pair both had seven total rebounds, while Orlando also had six assists to lead the team alongside Gabby Tucker (Port Chester, N.Y./Blind Brook).

Brooklyn came out hot, shooting a game-best 47 percent in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs were able to jump in front with a pair of Dior Dorsey free throws to begin a 12-2 run over a 2:20 stretch. The Valiants sliced the deficit in half with a Ramos jumper and DeBrocky's first three of the night, but Brooklyn got the five points back over the end of the quarter to take the 23-13 lead into the second.

Manhattanville shot 64 percent in the second, going 7-of-11 from the floor, but were only able to make one point on the deficit. Neither offense was able to piece together a run, with only Manhattanville hitting back-to-back baskets in the quarter. The two-straight baskets from Ramos and Orlando made it a nine point game with 6:31 left in the half, but the Bulldogs were able to maintain the double-digit lead for most of the quarter. DeBrocky hit a three with 1:19 remaining to put Manhattanville back withing single digits at 38-30, while a Bulldog layup and Molly Russom (Broadalbin, N.Y./Broadalbin-Perth) free throw sent the game to the half with the Valiants trailing by nine.

The Valiants continued shooting hot in the third, hitting at a 63 percent clip from the floor to begin the second half. Manhattanville was able to cut more off of the Brooklyn lead this time around, using a seven-point burst to make it a two possession game at 51-46 with 4:23 to go. Brooklyn pushed its lead back up to nine thanks to a pair of Kitch layups, but Manhattanville ended the quarter with a 7-2 run over the closing 1:26 to head into the fourth only trailing by four thanks to a Ramos three.

Brianna Jackson hit a three to open the fourth to spot the Bulldogs a seven-point cushion which the Valiants fell short of fully erasing. Manhattanville got as close as five, but Brooklyn delivered a bounce-back blow to every shot to maintain the lead, closing off the six-point win.

Up Next
The Valiants open conference play on Wednesday, headed to Riverdale to take on Mount Saint Vincent at 8 p.m.

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