Box Score

In its first game after earning a national ranking, the Muhlenberg women's basketball team looked every bit the part, running away in the second half for a 76-51 win at Haverford.

The Mules (5-0, 2-0) scored 44 points in the second half alone against a Ford team that came in 23rd in the country in scoring defense, allowing only 48.0 points per game. Haverford (3-2, 0-1) hadn't allowed more than 52 points in a game this season and hadn't allowed 76 points in a Centennial Conference home game in six years.

Muhlenberg, in particular, has struggled of late at Haverford, not making it past 44 points in its previous three trips, but shot 47.6 percent from the field en route to its fourth win of at least 25 points this season.

Four of the five Mule starters scored in double figures, led by sophomore Rachel Plotke with 19 on the strength of 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Sophomore Christina Manning added 17 points and classmate Brandi Vallely scored 13 to go along with nine assists, six rebounds and three steals. Senior Christina Santone (pictured above) finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.

The fifth starter, junior Maggie Zerbe, contributed eight points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Tied at 15 at the end of the first quarter, Muhlenberg opened the second stanza on a 10-3 run - with six of the points coming on two Plotke three-pointers - to take the lead for good. The Fords never got within five points again.

The Mules allowed only two field goals in the first 5:30 of the third quarter, going on a 15-5 run to break the game open. Manning's three-pointer with 7:40 to go in the fourth gave Muhlenberg a 20-point lead for the first time.

Muhlenberg committed only 11 turnovers and held the Fords to 27.3-percent shooting.