Wilkes Women's Basketball Upended by Manhattanville 81-72
WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's basketball team was upended by Manhattanville College in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play at the Marts Center on Wednesday evening.
The Colonels are now 3-6 in league and 7-13 overall.
Gab Giordano (Moscow, PA/Holy Cross) started the scoring ten seconds into the game with a three-pointer that was matched with 9:08 left on the clock by a Manhattanville three which ignited a 7-0 run to put the Valiants ahead 7-3 with 8:09 remaining. Layups from Carolee Pierce (Sidney, NY/Sidney) and Gabby Smicherko (Edwardsville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) tied the score at seven.
After a Manhattanville layup put the visitors in front, Smicherko hit a three-pointer from Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) and a Maddie Kelley (Dallas, PA/Dallas) layup to give the Colonels a 12-9 lead with just over five minutes off the clock.
Wilkes went up by as much as four at 16-12 following a jumper from Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove), but the Valiants finished the quarter on an 11-2 run to enter the first break with a 23-18 lead.
Manhattanville hit two free throws to push its lead to 25-18 starting the second before Giordano ended the multi-quarter run with a jumper at 9:06. The Valiants pushed their score to as much as 13 at 35-22 following a layup with 6:01 left until the half. While the Colonels were able to get the lead back into single digits at different points, Manhattanville continued to push the lead, entering halftime with a 45-32 advantage.
Wilkes came out of the break on fire as a Smicherko three-pointer set the tone for a 15-4 run over 4:12 to cut the deficit to 49-47 and 5:26 remaining in the third. After the Valiants hit a layup, a free throw and a three-pointer from Stef Kramer (Dushore, PA/Sullivan County) tied the score at 51 with 2:44 until the end of the third.
From there, Manhattanville scored the next nine points before a Giordano layup ended the third with the Colonels trailing 60-53.
A Giordano three-point play and a Smicherko layup brought the deficit to two points at 9:11 before a 10-2 Valiant run over the next three minutes brought the score to 70-60, stopped by a Kelley layup assisted by Giordano. Both teams matched baskets over the remainder of the game before the final horn sounded.
Giordano led the Colonels with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Kelley added 13 points and six rebounds while Smicherko contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, and three steals.
Sarah Coutu finished with a game-high 31 points for Manhattanville with four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Kayleah McGuire added 18 points and five rebounds while Spencer Shore contributed 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Wilkes returns to the court on Saturday when it will face DeSales in a 12:00 p.m. MAC Freedom game at the Marts Center.
