LA PLUME, PA. – One of the best defensive teams in the nation in 2017-18, the Manhattanville College women's basketball team picked up right where it left off in its 2018-19 season opener Thursday, Nov. 8, defeating the Keystone College Giants 63-43 at the Gambal Athletic Center.

Manhattanville (1-0) held Keystone (0-1) to 26.2 percent shooting, including a 24.3 percent mark in the second half. Sophomores Amanda Pemberton and Sarah Coutu combined for 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five steals, while senior Kayleah McGuire added 13 points. Making their collegiate debuts, freshmen Ali Mikaele grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and Faith Johnson-DeSilvia scored eight points and added four assists. Khaliah Gordon, Mayah Kitchen and Maddy Moro each scored 10 points for Keystone.

After allowing the game's first basket, Manhattanville quickly grabbed the lead on a three-point basket from Coutu and held a slim advantage the rest of the quarter, with the margin fluctuating between one and five points. Coutu and McGuire combined for 14 of the Valiants' 16 points in the frame.

With the Valiants holding a one-point lead early in the second quarter, back-to-back layups from freshman Jada Rencher keyed a 14-6 run that gave Manhattanville a 30-21 halftime cushion.
After Keystone opened the second half with a three-pointer, five different Valiants -- Pemberton, Mikaele, Johnson-DeSilvia, Coutu and McGuire – all scored during an 18-0 run that put the game out of reach, as the visitors eventually opened up a 26-point lead. In all, Manhattanville outscored Keystone 34-14 across the second and third quarters.

Keystone drew no closer than 17 points over the final 10 minutes as Manhattanville earned its 11th 20-point win since the start of last season and its fourth consecutive win in season openers.

The Valiants return to Kennedy Gymnasium for their home opener Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. against the Golden Eagles from St. Joseph's College – Long Island in a future Skyline Conference showdown.