BRONXVILLE, N.Y. - The Sarah Lawrence women's basketball team fell to a strong Manhattanville squad on Tuesday night in one of the team's closest matchups in recent memory. The Valiants ended the game with a 10-point lead thanks to late free throws, but the two teams were neck-and-neck throughout, with the Gryphons even holding a lead midway through the final period.
Notable Performers
How it Happened
Manhattanville struck first with an Amanda Orlando layup, but SLC answered quickly as a steal from Hudson led to a fast-break finish by Eng-Stewart to tie the game. After a Valiants three put SLC behind, Eng-Stewart again attacked in transition, converting a layup and the ensuing free throw to tie the game at five. The teams traded baskets through the middle of the quarter, highlighted by a strong sequence from Theriault, who scored three straight times to push Sarah Lawrence ahead 11-9. Manhattanville responded with a late surge, using baskets from Esther Ramos and Kathleen O'Mara to fuel an 8-0 run to end the period. Manhattanville opened the second quarter with pressure that forced back-to-back turnovers and quickly converted one into a fast-break layup to extend its lead to double digits. Sarah Lawrence responded with a jumper from
Colleen Coughlin, but the Valiants countered with a three and a steady scoring stretch to return the margin to double digits. The Gryphons found rhythm midway through the frame behind Hudson, who knocked down a jumper and later set up Theriault for a three that trimmed the gap to single digits at 29-20. After a Valiants fast-break basket, Hudson kept SLC moving with another jumper and a free throw, then finished in transition to make it 31-25. The Gryphons continued their surge when
Audrey Mattison buried a three off a Hudson assist, closing the deficit to three at 31-28. Manhattanville stopped the run with a late jumper, and the Valiants held on to a 33–28 advantage heading into halftime.
Manhattanville opened the third quarter with defensive pressure that led to an early turnover, but Sarah Lawrence steadied quickly as Hudson drew a foul and scored the first point of the half at the line before knocking down a jumper moments later to pull the Gryphons within two. After the Valiants answered inside, Coughlin connected from midrange off a setup from Theriault, keeping SLC within a possession. Manhattanville briefly stretched the margin with a layup, but
Kaila Dorch responded by sinking a pair of free throws to trim it to 37-35. The Gryphons seized their first lead of the night shortly after when Theriault buried a right-corner three off a pass from Coughlin, making it 38-37. The lead changed hands again as Manhattanville scored on consecutive drives, then added a fast-break finish to move ahead 41-38. SLC worked for answers, but shots around the rim stayed off the mark until Coughlin put back a second-chance opportunity with 4:19 left, bringing the deficit back to three and prompting a Manhattanville timeout. Out of the break, both teams traded empty trips before the Valiants slipped in another layup and later extended their lead on midrange scoring. The Gryphons forced several turnovers in the closing minutes but couldn't convert them into points, with contested looks from Hudson, Theriault, and Eng-Stewart falling short. Manhattanville added one more jumper in the final minute to close the quarter ahead 47–40, sending SLC into the fourth looking to regroup.
Manhattanville struck first in the fourth with a quick layup to push the margin to nine, but Sarah Lawrence responded as Theriault knocked down a jumper in response. The Gryphons generated several clean looks from deep but couldn't convert, though their activity on the glass, especially from Dorch and Hudson, kept possessions alive. Theriault steadied the group at the line, sinking two free throws to bring SLC within five, and moments later fellow first year Eng-Stewart sliced to the rim to trim it to three. Hudson followed with a strong finish in the paint to make it a one-point game before Manhattanville split free throws and Dorch answered with a jumper to tie it at 50-50. Theriault then converted two more free throws, briefly giving the Gryphons a 52–50 edge, but Manhattanville countered with a layup to even the score. Both sides traded stops until Julie DeBrocky buried a corner three with 2:38 left, putting the Valiants ahead 55-52. Dorch powered in another putback layup to keep SLC within one, but Manhattanville responded again from deep, with Esther Ramos connecting to stretch the lead to 58-54 entering the final minute. Manhattanville closed it out at the line, hitting six free throws in the final 47 seconds to secure the victory.
Up Next
The Gryphons (2-4, 1-2 Skyline) will return to action after the school's Thanksgiving break, traveling to Bard College for a matchup with the Raptors on Monday, December 1st. The team will then return to Bronxville on Wednesday, December 3rd as part of a Sarah Lawrence basketball doubleheader.
