Box Score

The Muhlenberg women's basketball team scored 43 second-half points to pull away and defeat Dickinson, 71-45, in its first game of 2016 - and its first since earning a spot in the D3hoops.com top 10.

Sophomore Brandi Vallely notched a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists, while sophomore Rachel Plotke (11) and freshman Amanda Morello (10) also scored in double figures. Senior Christina Santone pulled down 12 rebounds and blocked five shots.

The Mules (9-0, 4-0), one of 12 remaining undefeated teams in Division III, held the Red Devils (4-6, 1-4) to 22.4-percent shooting. Dickinson made six straight field goals (three from three-point range) in scoring 16 points in a span of 2:08 late in the first half; for the rest of the game, the visitors were just 9-for-61 (.148) from the field.

Playing for the first time in almost four weeks, Muhlenberg led 15-5 after one quarter behind five points from sophomore Chelsea Gary and four points and four assists by Vallely (pictured above). The Mules led 21-7 before Dickinson's surge and went into the locker room ahead by only five, 28-23.

The Red Devils scored the first basket of the second half to close to within three, but Muhlenberg responded with a 10-0 run that started with five straight points from junior Maggie Zerbe, followed by a backbreaking three-pointer in transition for Plotke on the only attempt of the game from behind the arc for the Centennial Conference leader in threes.

The Mules led by 17 after three quarters and breezed through the fourth, led by eight points from Morello.

Vallely's 10 assists put the NCAA all-divisions leader into triple digits on the season in just her 11th game.

Sophomore Jess Voltaggio grabbed seven rebounds in only six minutes of playing time.

Muhlenberg tied a school record by scoring 70 or more points for the ninth straight game to start the season.