Junior guard Brandi Vallely finished three assists shy of a triple-double and set a career-high with 14 rebounds as the Muhlenberg women's basketball team fell to Washington College 66-60 at home.
 
Vallely, who finished with 10 points, was one of three Mules to score in double figures. Junior Christina Manning led Mule scorers with 13 points to go with nine rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Chelsea Gary dropped 11 points along with grabbing eight boards and blocking four shots, moving into seventh on the Mules' all-time blocks list.
 
The Mules (7-4, 5-2) jumped out to an early advantage thanks to hot shooting, hitting 12 of 22 shots in the first period, but the team with the best field-goal percentage defense in the conference stymied the Mules in the second half.
 
A layup from Manning capped off a 12-0 run that gave Muhlenberg a 14-2 start. Junior guard Sara Dilly scored the next seven points for the Mules, hitting jumpers from the right wing on three straight possessions with assists from Vallely.
 
Manning continued the hot streak, connecting on a two and three-pointer from the left wing on consecutive trips to help the Mules to take a 28-15 lead.
 
After Muhlenberg took a 42-29 advantage into the locker room, Washington scored the first seven points of the third period and cut the lead to two entering the fourth.
 
Muhlenberg kept the Shorewomen (6-5, 3-3) at bay to start the fourth, with a jumper from senior forward Maggie Zerbe bringing the Muhlenberg lead back to three. Washington tied the game twice before taking its first lead with less than four minutes to play.
 
Free throws from Gary and Zerbe tied the game for the final time at 54-54, but the Shorewomen went on a late 8-0 run that the Mules could not recover from.
 
Zerbe (pictured above) grabbed 12 rebounds, her second straight game with double-digit boards, to go with seven points.  Dilly contributed nine points making four of six shots and sophomore center Carley Hamilton scored six points off the bench.
 
The Mules outrebounded Washington 51-47 and forced 16 turnovers while committing only six themselves.
 
Junior guard Rachel Plotke returned from injury and scored two points in 13 minutes.