PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University women's basketball team held off a late surge from the visiting University of Mount Saint Vincent on Wednesday night, defeating the Dolphins 65-57. The Valiants pick up its sixth-straight win and improve to 14-3 overall and 12-0 in Skyline Conference play, while the Dolphins fall to 2-13 (1-10).
Esther Ramos (Queens, N.Y./Forest Hills) led the charge with her second-straight 20-point game, putting up a game-high 21 on a 10-of-18 shooting from the field while walking away with eight rebounds, four steals and an assist. With her effort tonight, the senior has already surpassed her previous career-high in scoring from last year, now with 281 points on the season through 16 games.
Amanda Orlando (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) and
Kathleen O'Mara (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) combined for 25 points, scoring 13 and 12, respectively. Orlando finished with a team-high two three-pointers and went 3-for-4 at the free throw line, while O'Mara was a perfect 5-for-5 from short range. The two also served as playmakers away from putting up points, with Orlando logging five steals and a pair of assists while O'Mara racked up six assists, three steals, three rebounds and a block.
Gabby Tucker (Port Chester, N.Y./Blind Brook) recorded seven steals and matched O'Mara's leading assist total with six helpers.
Julie DeBrocky (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) finished second on the team with four rebounds as the Dolphins held the advantage off the boards, 39-23. Despite the season-worst -16 rebound discrepancy, Manhattanville was able to outlast a resilient Dolphin team that has been no stranger to delivering heartbreak to the Valiants over the last few years.
After UMSV scored on the opening possession, a layup from Tucker and Orlando deep ball gave the Valiants a lead that held for the remainder of the opening quarter. Manhattanville used an 8-2 run over the middle of the frame to take an early eight-point advantage at 16-8. The Dolphins were able to halve the deficit before Ramos connected from downtown to close out the quarter with the Valiants up 19-12.
The teams matched each other shot for shot in the second as the game remained within two possessions for most of the opening half. The Dolphins made it a three-point game on three separate occasions before Manhattanville responded with a bucket on the other end to regain breathing room. Back-to-back layups from O'Mara and
Kaitlyn Mangan (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield) reestablished the eight-point cushion with 1:27 left as Manhattanville would carry a 35-27 lead into the locker room after each side delivered one final basket before the horn.
Manhattanville's defense did a phenomenal job containing the Dolphins as play resumed, holding Mount Saint Vincent to a 25 percent mark from the floor (3-of-12) in the third. The Dolphins did not score a point in the second half until Grace Kennedy hit a free throw 5:11 into the quarter, putting an end to a string of 11 unanswered points by the Valiants to open play. UMSV would get their first field goal of the quarter 42 seconds later, able to cut the deficit that peaked at 19 down to 13 at 50-37 entering the fourth.
The Dolphins finally found an opening in the Valiant defense to close out the night, shooting 50 percent over the final ten minutes to make it a game again. Manhattanville shot just 31 percent in the fourth and could not get a three-pointer to fall in the second half, going 0-for-9 to close out the night. The result was the visitors opening the final quarter on a 10-2 run over the first three minutes to suddenly be back within striking distance, trailing 52-47. Shots stopped falling on either side as each team could only deliver one field goal over the ensuing four minutes before Ramos broke the cold spell with a crucial layup and midrange jumper to put the Valiants up 58-49 with two minutes to go.
Manhattanville was able to stand firm despite the earlier Dolphin surge, holding UMSV to three layups and a pair of free throws as their only points across the final five minutes of regulation. The Valiants closed things out with a 5-of-6 stretch at the line in the final 20 seconds to hold on for the 65-57 win.
Up Next
Farmingdale State comes to town on Saturday as part of doubleheader action inside Kennedy Gym with tip scheduled for 1 p.m.
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