The Muhlenberg women's basketball team started the 2017-18 campaign with a 79-71 victory over Lehigh Valley rival Moravian.
 
The Mules (1-0) shook off a slow start with a key 9-0 run and tough fourth-quarter defense to defeat their crosstown rivals and earn a Matte Award point. Muhlenberg now has a 7-2 advantage over Moravian in the Matte Award standings.
 
Senior Brandi Vallely, who became Muhlenberg's all-time assists leader at the end of last season, picked up right where she left off with 14 assists to go along with a game-high 21 points, six rebounds and four steals. Vallely now ranks third in Centennial Conference history with 474 career assists and is 14 away from tying for second place.
 
Seniors Chelsea Gary and Rachel Plotke also scored in double-figures for the Mules. Gary posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Plotke (pictured above) finished with 17 points.
 
Senior Christina Manning and junior Sara Dilly played instrumental roles on defense, holding Moravian's preseason third-team All-America selection to 11 points and only 4-15 shooting from the field.
 
Muhlenberg took its first lead of the game when Gary converted a layup while fouled and made the free throw to make it 7-6. The Greyhounds (0-1) later went on an 11-2 run, but the Mules kept the game close as a Vallely layup brought them back within two at 23-21.
 
The Mules retook the lead when Plotke hit her first three-pointer of the game and two Vallely free throws increased the advantage to five. Moravian came back to take a 37-34 lead, but triples from Vallely and Dilly staked the Mules with the lead they would take into halftime.
 
Muhlenberg kept the Greyhounds at bay through the third quarter before making its crucial run. Vallely drove in for a layup to end the third period, and Plotke started the fourth quarter with a jumper to make it 64-59. Gary again finished an "and-1" play off a feed from Vallely, who then scored the next two points with a lefty layup on a fast break to give Muhlenberg a double-digit lead.
 
The Greyhounds scored the next five points, but Muhlenberg then held them scoreless over the next three minutes before a three-pointer brought the lead down to two. Gary responded with Muhlenberg's next four points, and the defense forced two critical turnovers in the final minute to help seal the win.
 
Junior Carley Hamilton added eight points and eight rebounds to go with two blocks, and sophomore Caroline Hogg set career-bests with eight rebounds and four blocks in 17 minutes.
 
Freshman Ny Thomas gathered an offensive rebound in her collegiate debut.