PURCHASE, N.Y. – A strong first quarter performance set the stage for a wire-to-wire win for the Manhattanville University women's basketball team on Tuesday night as the Valiants took down neighboring conference rival Purchase, 62-46. The Valiants improve to 9-3, while Purchase falls to 6-6 (5-2 Skyline).

The Valiants improve to 7-0 in the Skyline Conference with the victory, the third time in the last four years that Manhattanville has won its first seven conference tilts as the best recorded starts to conference play in program history.

Three of the Valiants' starting five went off for double-doubles as Manhattanville dominated their own glass with 20 offensive rebounds. Esther Ramos (Queens, N.Y./Forest Hills) led the Valiant scoring effort with 18 points, shooting 8-of-12 from the floor while coming down with 11 rebounds, her second double-double of the season. Kathleen O'Mara (Huntington, N.Y./Walt Whitman) put forward one of the best all-around performances of her career as the sophomore recorder her first collegiate double-double with a career-high 17 rebounds alongside 12 points, three assists, five steals and two blocks. Julie DeBrocky (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) also got involved in the fun with her second-career double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.

Amanda Orlando (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) provided another 14 points, with half of her production coming via a 7-of-10 mark at the free throw line. The senior added a team-high four assists.
Manhattanville was off to the races from the opening tip as Gabby Tucker (Port Chester, N.Y./Blind Brook) hit a layup in the Valiants' opening possession, beginning a 9-0 run to start the action with seven straight points from Orlando. The Valiant lead reached double digits five and a half minutes in following Ramos' first bucket of the night to go up 13-3, going on to close the quarter with a 10-point advantage at 19-9.

The Valiants were able to ride the first quarter lead the rest of the way, never allowing the Panthers to get closer than a six-point gap. Both sides had their best shooting performances in the second quarter—Manhattanville shooting 57 percent and Purchase 47—as the offenses put up 18 points apiece to head into the half with the Valiants up 37-27.

Tianna Patten hit a three-pointer coming out of the locker room for Purchase before the Valiants went on a 10-1 run to take firm control with a 47-31 lead with 5:42 left in the third. Manhattanville's lead peaked at 17 in the quarter, but the Panthers ended the period with a Jamyra Mccray three and a Patten layup to make it a 12-point game with ten to play.

The Valiants held Purchase to just two field goals and an 0-for-5 effort from deep in the fourth to close out the win, outscoring the Panthers 11-7 in the quarter.

Up Next
The Valiants will look to set the program record for best conference start the next time out in their return home on Friday, hosting Saint Joseph's Long Island at 5 p.m.

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