PURCHASE, N.Y. – Eight different players scored at least six points while setting career highs in numerous categories for the Manhattanville College women's basketball team in an 87-48 win over the College of New Rochelle Blue Angels Monday Nov. 26 from Kennedy Gymnasium.

Freshman Ali Mikaele scored a game-high 18 points for Manhattanville (5-0), continuing her streak of increasing her point total in every game this season. Sophomore Sarah Coutu had 16 points, a season-best six assists and a career-best seven steals. Fellow sophomore Spencer Shore made her only two shots, both three-pointers, while grabbing a career-high eight rebounds. Sophomore Julia Borsari and freshman Claudia Valentin combined for 14 points in just 13 total minutes; Valentin recorded three steals in six minutes of action, while Borsari scored a career-best eight points, thanks in large part to a six-for-eight effort from the free throw line. Dar'Neisha Brice made four of her nine three point attempts and finished with a team-high 17 points for the College of New Rochelle (1-2).

Manhattanville scored the first 19 points of the game, with Coutu putting in eight of the first 10. Each of the Valiants' other four starters – Mikaele, Shore, sophomore Amanda Pemberton and senior Kayleah McGuire – also added at least one field goal each in the spurt. After a three-pointer finally got New Rochelle on the board, Manhattanville responded with the final six points of the quarter.

The second quarter belonged largely to Mikaele, who made five of her six shots in the frame and scored six straight points as Manhattanville opened up a 30+ point lead. Shore's second and final three-pointer with 30 seconds left gave the Valiants a 50-16 lead at the half.

Manhattanville allowed 13 New Rochelle offensive rebounds in the third quarter, but held the visitors to just 23 percent from the floor, maintaining a 30-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Valentin drove the Manhattanville bench and Kennedy Gymnasiusm faithful wild with a series of spectacular defensive plays in the fourth quarter, including two steals that led to fast break lay-ups as Manhattanville briefly pushed its lead above 40 before a late New Rochelle three-pointer and free throw from Borsari closed out the game's scoring.

As a team, the Valiants blocked a season-high five shots, dished out a season-high 24 assists and made 20 free throws at an 80 percent clip from the foul line, both season highs.

Manhattanville's final tune-up before the start of Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play will be Saturday Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. against the Rivier College Raiders from Kennedy Gymnasium.