The Muhlenberg women's basketball never trailed in a 42-34 home win against McDaniel in a rare Monday afternoon game.

With the four players who have scored the most points for them this season unavailable, the Mules (6-6, 2-5) turned to their defense, holding the Green Terror (3-11, 1-8) to 24.5-percent shooting and forcing 20 turnovers.

Although the Mules didn't generate a ton of offense - the 42 points were the fewest they scored in a win since 1976 - they hit some big shots throughout the closely contested game to keep McDaniel at bay.

Freshman Rachel Saxton scored a career-high 12 points to go along with 5 steals in her first career start. Senior Amanda Gorski had one of the best games of her career, finishing with 8 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, 4 steals and a pair of blocks. Sophomore Abigail Scheidel added a career-high 8 points.

A steal and fullcourt layup by Saxton on the game's first possession put Muhlenberg ahead for good. The Mules extended their lead to 10 points, 18-8, when freshman Emily Vaughan found classmate Jenna Stockfeder for a layup in transition in the first minute of the second quarter. McDaniel cut the gap in half by halftime, however.

The Green Terror were within two, at 29-27, late in the third quarter before Scheidel (pictured above) hit a three off the dribble.

McDaniel was only three points behind (34-31) midway through the fourth quarter when freshman Emily Unger, who finished with 9 points, drilled a three. 

Scheidel sealed the win by driving in for a left-handed layup with the shot clock winding down to make it 41-34 with 1:12 left.

Senior Tori Dowd had 3 assists and 3 steals for the Mules, who improved on their Centennial Conference-leading average by recording 15 steals in the game.