HARRISON, N.Y. (Dec. 3, 2025) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy women's basketball team dropped a back-and-forth Skyline Conference battle, 62–61, on the road to Manhattanville on Wednesday evening at Kennedy Gymnasium. The win improves the Valiants to 5-2 (4-0 Skyline) while the Mariners drop to 5-3 (3-1 Skyline).
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Sophomore forward Carolae Barton (Waldorf, Md.) continued her outstanding play, posting her fourth double-double of the season, dropping a game-high 28 points and hauling down a game-best 16 boards. Barton also dished out four assists, snagged four steals, and recorded two blocks while shooting 10-of-18 from the field (55.6%FG) and 8-for-9 at the line (88.9%FT).
Senior Hannah Ramsden (Port Aransas, Texas) added 13 points and knocked down a team-high three three-pointers while also grabbing seven rebounds in the contest. Freshman guard Jaden Lodice (Littleton, Colo.) scored eight points and senior Cevyn Crutcher (Huntsville, Ala.) chipped in with seven points and two assists.
USMMA shot 23-of-57 (40%) from the floor, including 6-of-18 (33%) from three-point range, and 9-of-11 (82%) at the free-throw line. The Mariners held a 34–32 edge on the glass and scored 30 points in the paint, 10 second-chance points, and 10 points off turnovers.
The matchup between the two Skyline powers was a battle from the opening tip, featuring 19 lead changes and six ties.
USMMA got off to a fast start in the first quarter with buckets from sophomore Breanna Sommers (Casa Grande, Ariz.) at 9:20 and Barton's layup at 8:53 to give them a 4-0 lead. After Manhattanville got on the board, Ramsden buried a three-pointer at 8:23 to make it 7–2. The Valiants answered with a 6–0 run on two layups by Amanda Orlando and another from Gabby Tucker to take their first lead at 8–7 with 6:03 left. USMMA responded again as Barton tied it at 11 with a layup and Crutcher scored in transition for a 13–11 lead. The hosts closed the period on a 4-0 run with a Tucker layup and two free throws from Kathleen O'Mara to take a 17–16 lead after one.
Manhattanville opened the second quarter with an O'Mara jumper to go up 19–16, but Barton answered with two free throws to pull USMMA within one, 19–18 at 8:34. An Orlando free throw made it 20–18 before Lodice drilled her first three-pointer at 7:07 to flip the lead back to Merchant Marine, 21–20. O'Mara's layup made it 22–21 for Manhattanville, but Lodice responded with another three for a 24–22 Mariner advantage at the 6:11 mark. Tucker split a pair at the line to put the Valiants in front 31–30, but Barton responded with a layup with 30 seconds to put Merchant Marine back ahead 32–31. DeBrocky answered yet again from beyond the arc with 17 seconds remaining, sending Manhattanville to the locker room with a 34–32 halftime lead.
DeBrocky opened the half with a three-pointer at 9:50 to push Manhattanville ahead 37–32. Barton made two free throws at 9:22 and added a layup at 8:12 to cut the margin to 37–36. Tucker scored at 7:18 to give the Valiants a 39-36 lead, then Crutcher struck at 5:29 to give the visitors a 40–39 lead. Manhattanville scored four of the final five points of the third period, as Ramos tied the game 43–43 with a layup at 2:19. Neither team scored over the final two minutes of the period, keeping it all locked up going into the final stanza.
Manhattanville knocked down back-to-back three-pointers from DeBrocky and Tucker, producing a 6–0 run and a 49–45 Valiant advantage with 7:53 remaining. USMMA answered immediately as Barton tipped in a miss to cut the deficit to 49–47, and Ramsden's drive at 7:08 tied the game again at 49–49. Tucker connected on another three at 6:15 for a 52–49 Manhattanville lead, but Barton's layup trimmed it to 52–51 before Tucker struck again from distance to make it 55–51 with 5:20 to play. Barton hit a jumper to get within 55–53, and Ramsden buried a three from the wing at 3:55 to put USMMA back on top 56–55. Tucker's layup swung the lead back to Manhattanville, 57–56, but Sommers answered with a three-pointer at 3:12 to give the Mariners a 59–57 edge. DeBrocky responded yet again from long range at 2:47 to put Manhattanville ahead 60–59, then Barton responded from inside to restore a 61–60 Merchant Marine lead with 2:25 remaining before O'Mara finished in the lane to put the Valiants ahead for good 62–61 at the 2:09 mark for the victory.
Manhattanville was led by Julie DeBrocky, who dropped a team-high 23 points, while Gabby Tucker registered 20 points in the contest.
Merchant Marine hits the hardwood again on Saturday, Dec. 6, at noon against archrival Coast Guard.
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