2.29.12 - MELLO AND MEIKLEJOHN NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE, HONN RECEIVES HONORABLE MENTION
Manchester's women's basketball team had two players selected to the First Team All-Conference squad, and one more named honorable mention. Senior Laine Mello was second on the team in scoring with an 8.8 point, 4.9 rebound per game average and was named to the First Team All-Conference list. She added 29 steals, 18 blocks and 22 assists. Joining her is sophomore Erynn Meiklejohn, who led the team in scoring with a 9.5 point per game average and added 4.1 rebounds per outing. Meiklejohn had 17 blocked shots, 13 steals and 10 assists on the year. Senior Kailey Honn was named honorable mention, and graduates as MC's all-time shot block leader with 216. She was fourth in scoring at 7.1 poitns and added 4.4 rebounds per game. Alex Starkey was nominated to represent Manchester on the All-Sportsmanship team.

The womens' basketball team finished the year 17-9 overall, and took third place in the conference standings with a 13-5 record.

2.24.12 - SPARTANS FALL TO ROSE-HULMAN 48-37 IN HCAC TOURNAMENT OPENER
The three-seeded Manchester's women's basketball team was upset in the opening round of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conferenfce Tournament by six-seed Rose-Hulman 48-37 at Franklin College's Spurlock Center on Friday night.

Manchester shot just 21 percent from the field on the game, hitting just 7-30 (23.3 percent) from the floor in the first half and 6-32 (18.8 percent) in the second half, and was just 9-17 from the free throw line. Manchester trailed Rose-Hulman 22-17 at halftime, and got to within two, 30-28 with 11 minutes remaining, but the Engineers closed out the contest with an 18-9 run to pick up the 48-37 win.

Erynn Meiklejohn posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, adding a steal, blocked shot and an assist. Alex Starkey and Abby Schweitzer added seven points each, while Laine Mello chipped in six points and five rebounds.

Manchester ends their season 17-9 overall.

2.18.12 - MC POSTS 56-41 WIN OVER EARLHAM, ADVANCE TO HCAC TOURNAMENT FRIDAY
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 56-41 win at Earlham on Saturday to wrap up the regular season. The Spartans jumnped out to a 13-3 lead to start the game, but Earlham outscored Manchester 8-2 to close out the first half, giving Manchester a 21-17 lead at halftime.

Manchester's defense held Earlham to 26 percent shooting from the floor in the second half, including 1-13 from behind the three-point arc, and shot 48 percent to take the 56-41 win.

Janelle Moss had the hot hand for Manchester, hitting 7-13 shots from the floor and 3-4 free throws for a game high 17 points. She added two rebounds and an assist in the win. Alex Starkey was 5-6 at the free throw line to pick up five of her 11 points on the day. She added five rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and two steals. Kailey Honn added eight points, two blocked shots and two rebounds, hitting 4-6 shots from the floor.

Manchester will advance to the HCAC Tournament, hosted by Franklin College, starting on Friday. Three-seed Manchester will face six-seed Rose-Hulman in the first round starting at 8 p.m., following the #4 Transylvania/#5 Defiance contest at 6 p.m.

2.15.12 - SPARTANS PICK UP 52-37 WIN AT ANDERSON
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 52-37 win at Anderson on Wednesday, leaving just one game left in the regular season and the Spartans with a third place finish in the conference standings.

Manchester's Laine Mello led the way with nine points on the night, hitting 4-7 shots from the floor and added five rebounds, three asissts and three steals. Erynn Meiklejohn, Kailey Honn and Alyssa Hammond each had seven points apiece. Meiklejohn had five rebounds and there steals, Honn was 3-3 from the field and 1-1 from behind the arc and added a pair of blocked shots, assists and steals. Janelle Moss added four bounds and seven rebounds to go with her two steals and two assists on the night.

Manchester's women's team improves to 16-8 on the year, 12-5 in the HCAC. Manchester will return to action Saturday at Earlham before heading into the HCAC Conference AQ Tournament.

2.11.12 - PAIR OF TRANSYLVANIA RUNS LEADS TO 62-56 LOSS BY MANCHESTER
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to host Transylvania 62-56 in conference action Saturday. Transy opened the game with a 14-2 run on the Spartans, but Manchester pulled within two points, 20-18 with 4:29 left in the half only to have the Pioneers stretch it to a 33-23 halftime lead. Transy stretched their biggest lead at the 12:30 mark with a 46-33 advantage, but Manchester bounced back to come within two points after a Laine Mello three-pointer with :13 seconds remaining, but couldn't get any closer giving Transylvania the 62-56 final.

Mello ended the game with 15 points, hitting 6-9 shots from the floor and added five rebounds and a blocked shot. Jaimie Childress chipped in nine points, hitting 3-4 three point shots, Abby Lang and Janelle Moss added eight points each, while Becki Lowden led MC with six rebounds.

Manchester remains in third place in the conference standings with an 11-5 record, and falls to 15-8 overall. MC travels to Anderson on Wednesday and will travel to Earlham on Saturday to wrap up the regular season.

2.8.12 - MANCHESTER WOMEN POST 70-50 WIN ON SENIOR NIGHT
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 70-50 win over Bluffton Wednesday night, as the women's team held their final home game of the regular season and their annual Senior Night.

Manchester trailed Bluffton 17-11 to open the contest, but reveresed the six point deficit into a six point 36-30 lead at halftime. Manchester capitalized on 50 percent field goal shooting in the second half, and holding Bluffton to 26 percent from the floor, came away with 70-50 win.

Manchester's four starting seniors combined for 47 of the team's 70 points. Leading the way for Manchester was Laine Mello, who scored 16 points on 6-12 field goal and 4-4 free throw shooting. Alex Starkey added 14 points, four assists and a steal, while Kailey Honn added 10 points and five blocked shots and Becki Lowden added seven points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

Manchester improves to 15-7 on the year, 11-4 in conference play. They will travel to Transylvania on Saturday, and close out the regular season with road games at Anderson on Wednesday and at Earlham on Saturday.

2.4.12 - SPARTANS FALL TO #14 FRANKLIN 66-51
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to #14 in the nation and league-leading Franklin College 66-51 at home on Saturday. The Spartans took a quick 8-2 lead to start the game, but Franklin soon found themselves with a 22-15 advantage at the 3:47 mark. A Kailey Honn buzz-beating three-pointer from near mid-court gave the Spartans a 26-25 lead at the break. In the second half, Franklin shot 56 percent from the floor, and held Manchester to just 31 percent shooting to pick up the 66-51 win.

Erynn Meiklejohn led MC with 13 points, hitting 3-5 field goals and 7-8 free throws. Kailey Honn added seven points, three rebounds and three blocked shots, while Jaimie Childress also scored seven points and had a steal and an assist.

The women fall to 14-7 on the year, 10-4 in the HCAC. They will resume play at home on Wednesday for their final home game of the year, as they host Bluffton starting at 7:30 p.m.

2.1.12 - MANCHESTER TAKES 41-34 WIN OVER DEFIANCE
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 41-34 win over Defiance on Wednesday, leaving Manchester just two games out of first place in the conference standings behind Franklin and Hanover.

Manchester shot 42 percent from the floor in the first half, and held Defiance to 24 percent shooting to take a 25-16 advantage. The Spartans struggled in the second half, shooting 23 percent to Defiance's 27, but made 6-7 free throws to take the 41-34 win.

Erynn Meiklejohn led the team with 14 points and 12 rebounds, hitting 6-12 shots from the floor and 2-2 free throws. Laine Mello added 10 points and four rebounds, while Abby Schweitzer went 2-2 from the field and free throw line for six points and three rebounds. Alex Starkey added five bounds and five rebounds in the win for MC.

Manchester improves to 14-6 overall, 10-3 in the HCAC. They will host Franklin on Saturday starting at 2 p.m. followed by men's action at 4 p.m.

1.28.12 - TURNOVERS PLAGUE MANCHESTER IN 61-43 LOSS TO HANOVER
The women's basketball team fell to Hanover 61-43 in conference action Saturday. Manchester committed 18 first half turnovers, and despite shooting 50 percent from the floor, trailed Hanover 35-20 at the break.

Becki Loweden led MC with 10 points, hitting 3-4 shots from the floor and 4-4 free throws. Erynn Meiklejohn added eight points and three rebounds, while Laine Mello chipped in six points and added seven rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. The women fall to 13-6 on the year, 9-3 in the conference. They host Defiance on Wednesday and Franklin on Saturday.

1.25.12 - MEIKLEJOHN SCORES 16 AS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL POSTS 52-46 WIN AT ROSE-HULMAN
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 52-46 win at Rose-Hulman on Wednesday to stay in the hunt for the HCAC regular season conference title. Manchester sits one game out of first place at 9-2 on the year while Hanover and Franklin both sit at 10-1 in a tie for first in the HCAC standings.

Manchester went up by as many as eight in the first half before Rose-Hulman closed out the first half with a 16-6 run and a 22-20 lead. After a 26-26 tie in the second half, MC jumped out to a 43-31 lead with six minutes to go and held on the for the 52-46 final.

Erynn Meiklejohn led Manchester with 16 points on the night, hitting 6-11 from the field and 4-5 free throws to go with her four blocked shots. Kailey Honn added 11 points, four rebounds, five blocked shots, four assists and a steal. Alex Starkey had four points, four rebounds and four assists with a steal and a blocked shot in the win.

Manchester improves to 13-5 on the year, 9-2 in conference action. They will travel to league-leading Hanover on Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest.

1.21.12 - MC POSTS 62-49 WIN OVER MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 62-49 win over Mount St. Joseph on Saturday, as both teams started the second-half of the conference season. Manchester went up by as many as 11 points late in the first half and settled for a 34-25 halftime lead. MC held MSJ to 24 percent shooting in the second half to pick up the 62-49 victory.

Erynn Meiklejohn led all scorers with 17 points, hitting 6-10 from the floor and 5-7 free throws. She also had four rebounds, two assiss and a steal. Abby Lang added 11 points on 3-5 shooting from the floor and 4-6 free throws to go with her five rebounds and two steals. Alex Starkey scored eight points, had three assists, three blocked shots and two steals, while Abby Schweitzer netted 10 points and six rebounds on 4-5 shooting.

Manchester improves to 12-5 on the year, 8-2 in the HCAC. They will return to action Wednesday at Rose-Hulman for a 7:30 p.m. start.

1.18.12 - BLUFFTON SNAPS MC'S 8-GAME CONFERENCE WIN STREAK WITH A 54-50 WIN
Manchester's eight game conference winning streak came to an end on Wednesday as host Bluffton pulled off a 54-50 win over Manchester.

Both Manchester and Bluffton battled it out in the first half, with MC securing a two-point, 23-21 lead at the break. Bluffton went up by as many as six points in the second half, leading 35-29 with 14 minutes remaining, but Manchester battled back to take a 44-41 lead with four minutes to go. Bluffton tied the game with a three-pointer on the following possession and a three-point play with 48 seconds remaining gave Bluffton a 51-48 lead and held on the for the 54-50 final.

Alex Starkey led Manchester with 14 points on the night. She added five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Kailey Honn added 10 points and seven rebounds to go with her four blocked shots and two assists.

Manchester falls to 11-5 on the year, 7-2 in the HCAC. They will resume play at home on Saturday as they face Mount St. Joseph starting at 3 p.m. followed by men's basketball action at 5 p.m.

1.14.12 - SPARTANS UPSET #13 FRANKLIN 39-36
Manchester's women's basketball team pulled off a 39-36 upset over undefeated, 13th ranked and league-leading Franklin College in action from Franklin's Spurlock Center on Saturday. 20 of Manchester's 39 points and 18 of Franklin's 36 points came from the free throw lines, as both teams struggled from the floor shooting. MC was just 9-48 from the field while Franklin ended the game 9-39, and the Spartan defense forcing 22 turnovers by Franklin.

Manchester took a 19-16 lead into halftime and went up by as many as nine points, 29-20 with 13:10 remaining. Franklin tied the game at 30-30 at the 6:25 mark, and a pair of Jocelyn Hamilton free throws gave MC a 34-33 lead with 4:06 left. Franklin tied the game at 34-34 with a one and one free throw, but a Laine Mello lay up followed by a blocked shot two possessions later and two more free throws from Hamilton helped seal the 39-36 win.

Laine Mello led MC with 13 points and nine rebounds. She added two steals and a blocked shot while hitting 5-6 free throws. Kailey Honn added seven points and seven rebounds with three blocked shots, a steal and an assist. Jocelyn Hamilton scored six points, hitting 4-4 free throws down the stretch, and grabbed four rebounds and had two steals.

The Spartans improve to 11-4 on the year, 7-1 in the conference and move into a first place tie with Franklin and Hanover. MC will travel to Bluffton on Wednesday.

1.11.12 - HONN SCORES 16 IN 58-47 WIN OVER DEFIANCE
Manchester's women's basketball team posted their sixth-straight conference win, and seventh win in the last eight games following a 58-47 win at Defiance on Wednesday night.

Manchester took a 29-15 lead into halftime, holding the Yellow Jackets to 25 percent shooting from the floor. MC held a 17 point advantage with six minutes left in the game and settled for the 58-47 final after Defiance closed out the game on an 11-5 run.

Kailey Honn led MC with 16 points, hitting 6-13 shots and added seven rebounds, three blocked shots and a pair of steals. Laine Mello chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds with two steals and an assist. Erynn Meiklejohn added eight points and three rebounds with a steal.

Manchester improves to 10-4 on the year, 6-1 in the HCAC and will travel to 16th ranked Franklin College on Saturday.

1.7.12 - MEIKLEJOHN SCORES 19 AS MC DEFEATS EARLHAM 68-41
Manchester's women's basketball team opened Saturday's contest against Earlham with a 22-0 run over the first 10 minutes of play and held on to take a 34-10 lead at the half, holding Earlham to just 12 percent shooting from the floor in the first half.

Erynn Meiklejohn led all scorers with 19 points, hitting 8-13 from the floor and added five rebounds and a blocked shot. Kailey Honn scored 13 points on 6-11 shooting to go with her six rebounds, three steals, blocked shot and assist.

Manchester improves to 9-4 on the year, 5-1 in the HCAC and remains locked in a tie for second place in the conference standings. MC will travel to Defiance on Wednesday night and will face league-leading Franklin at Franklin on Saturday.

1.4.12 - SPARTANS DELIVER 61-42 LOSS TO ANDERSON
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 61-42 home win over Anderson on Wednesday, moving Manchester to a second place tie with Hanover with a 4-1 record in the conference standings.

Manchester jumped to a 21-7 lead to start the first half, and settled for a 33-19 lead at the break after shooting 58 percent from the floor. MC maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half to picked up the 61-42 win.

Manchester had four scorers reach double digits, as Erynn Meiklejohn led all scorers with 13 points. She was 6-11 from the field and had three rebounds. Kailey Honn, Alex Starkey, and Laine Mello each had 10 points, with Mellow connecting on 4-7 shots from the floor and had nine rebounds and three assists. Starkey ended the game 5-9 with three rebounds and Honn added six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

Manchester improves to 8-4 on the year, 4-1 in the HCAC. They will host Earlham on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. followed by the men's basketball team in action at 3 p.m.

12.31.11 - MANCHESTER POSTS 56-49 OT WIN OVER KALAMAZOO
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 56-49 overtime win over Kalamazoo on Saturday. Manchester and Kalamazoo struggled from the floor in the first half, shooting 24 and 29 percent respectively as Kalamazoo took a 23-19 lead into halftime. Manchester made 11-20 field goals in the second half, overcoming a Kalamazoo 10-point lead in the second half to force overtime as Jocelyn Hamilton's layup gave MC a 45-44 lead with 1:43 remaining and the Hornets missing the front end of two free throws.

Laine Mello led MC with 14 points, hitting 5-6 shots from the floor and 4-6 free throws. She added four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Jocelyn Hamilton added 12 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Alex Starkey added seven points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

Manchester improves to 7-4 on the year and will return to action at home on Wednesday as the Spartans host Anderson University in HCAC action starting at 7:30 p.m.

12.27.11 - SPARTANS FALL TO MEDAILLE 44-37
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to host Medaille 44-37 on Tuesday night. Manchester shot just 18 percent from the floor in the first half, allowing Medaille to take a 20-12 lead at the half. MC shot just 22 percent from the floor in the second half, but outscored Medaille 25-24, but it wasn't enough as they fell 44-37. The Spartan defense forced 23 turnovers while commiting just eight in the game.

Kailey Honn led Manchester with 10 points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots and a pair of steals. Alex Starkey had eight points and five rebounds to go with her two steals.

Manchester fell to 6-4 on the year, and will return to action Dec. 31 as they travel to Kalamazoo for a 1 p.m. start.

12.17.11 - MEIKLEJOHN SCORES 20 AS MC POSTS 59-34 WIN AT MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Manchester's women's basketball team jumped out to an early 16-0 lead and held Mount St. Joseph to just 12 percent shooting in the first half for a 27-14 lead at the break, and went on to post their third straight conference win with a 59-34 final.

Erynn Meiklejohn led the way for Manchester with a game high 20 points, hitting 9-13 from the floor and added three rebounds. Laine Mello added 12 points and three rebounds on 6-7 shooting from the floor. She added two rebounds and two assists. Alex Starkey added four points and five rebounds with six assists and a blocked shot.

Manchester improves to 6-3 on the year, 3-1 in the conference. The Spartans will travel to Buffalo, NY to face Medialle on Dec. 27 and will be on the road at Kalamazoo on Dec. 31.

12.10.11 - MANCHESTER POSTS 61-48 WIN OVER TRANSYLVANIA, DZURICK NOTCHES CAREER WIN 100
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 61-48 win over conference rival Transylvania on Saturday, giving head coach Josh Dzurick career win 100.

Manchester trailed 26-21 at the half, shooting just 26 percent from the floor. MC regrouped in the second half to tie the game at 30-30 four minutes into the second half and continued to go on a 13-2 run to take a 43-32 lead with 10 minutes remaining, and pushed their lead to 18 points, 56-38 with four minutes to go and finished with the 61-48 win. MC hit 62 percent from the floor in the second half and was 4-6 from the three point line.

Alex Starkey led MC with 20 points, hitting 7-11 from the floor and 4-5 from three-point territory. Kailey Honn added nine points and five rebounds to go with her five assists and two blocked shots. Laine Mellow, Abby Schweitzer and Erynn Meiklejohn each had seven points apiece for Manchester. Mello added six rebounds and two steals.

Manchester improves to 5-3 on the year, 2-1 in the HCAC. They will resume play Saturday at Mount St. Joseph in doubleheader action with the men's team.

12.7.11 - MANCHESTER GETS FIRST CONFERENCE WIN OVER ROSE-HULMAN 46-43
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up its first HCAC win of the year Wednesday night, holding off visiting Rose-Hulman for a 46-43 win.

Manchester took an 18-13 lead at the half, holding Rose-Hulman to just 15 percent field goal shooting from the floor. Rose-Hulman made 11-24 field goals in the second half, outscoring Manchester 30-28, but it wasn't enough as the Spartans held on the to the three-point win.

Laine Mello led the Spartans with 12 points, hitting 5-122 from the floor and added eight rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals. Erynn Meiklejohn added 10 points on 4-7 shooting wtih five rebounds while Abby Lang had eight rebounds.

Manchester moves to 4-3 on the year, 1-1 in the HCAC. They return to action Saturday at home as they host Transylvania.

12.3.11 - MC FALLS TO HANOVER 74-58, RAISES FUNDS FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS WARRIOR FOUNDATION
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Hanover 74-58 in the team's league opening game on Saturday. Manchester held a Special Operations Warrior Foundation fundraiser, and brought in over $4,000 in funds that will go towards providing scholarships to the children of wounded soldiers.

Hanover held a 32-28 lead at the half, and forced MC to 27 turnovers in the game, and took the 74-58 final.

Laine Mello scored 21 points on 8-12 shooting and had 10 rebounds and three steals. Alex Starkey posted 13 points with seven rebounds and eight steals. Erynn Meiklejohn netted seven points and had four rebounds.

Manchester evens their record to 3-3 on the year, 0-1 in the HCAC. They will host Rose-Hulman on Wednesday night.

11.26.11-MANCHESTER FALLS TO MT. UNION 76-53 IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF MT. UNION TOURNAMENT
MC's women's basketball team fell to host Mount Union in the championship game of the Mt. Union MAAC Tournament on Saturday. Mount Union led by as many as 17 in the first half, taking a 27-10 lead with eight minutes to go, and took a 37-21 lead into halftime. Mt. Union used 52 percent shooting in the second half to take the 76-53 win.

Erynn Meiklejohn led Manchester with 12 points, hitting 5-8 shots from the field and 2-2 free throws. She added four rebounds and an assist. Laine Mello added 11 points on 5-7 shooting, while Kailey Honn added eight points.

Manchester drops to 3-2 on the year and will be in action again Saturday, Dec. 3 as they start conference play, hosting Hanover College starting at 1 p.m. Manchester's women's basketball will be hosting a Support the Troops game this year, with proceeds from silent auction going towards the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

11.25.11 - MC WOMEN DEFEAT WAYNESBURG 62-58 TO ADVANCE TO FACE HOST MT. UNION AT MAAC TOURNAMENT
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 62-58 win over Waynesburg in the opening round of the Mount Union MAAC Tournament on Friday evening. Manchester jumped to an eight point lead, 20-12 with 8:44 left in the first half, before Waynesburg rallied back to take a 33-31 lead at halftime. Waynesburg took the eight point advantage in the second half, leading 41-33 with just 4 minutes into the second half. Manchester responded with a 13-2 run over the next four and a half minutes to go ahead three, 46-43 and held on to the 62-58 win.

Becki Lowden led MC with 10 points, hitting 4-7 from the floor and had three rebounds. Jocelyn Hamilton and Alex Starkey had nine points each, Hamilton added four assists while Starkey added four rebounds, two assists, a steal and one blocked shot. Erynn Meiklejohn chipped in eight points and nine rebounds three three blocked shots.

Manchester improves to 3-1 on the year and advances to the championship game of the MAAC Tournament, where they will face host Mount Union starting at 5 p.m. The match-up will be the first meeting between former MC women's basketball coach Suzy Venet and her former assistant, and current head coach for Manchester, Josh Dzurick.

11.19.11 - MANCHESTER POSTS 59-45 WIN OVER BALDWIN-WALLACE TO WIN MC BANKERS' CLASSIC
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 59-45 win over Baldwin-Wallace in the championship game of the 2011 Manchester College Bankers' Classic on Saturday. Manchester advanced to the championshp game with a 66-54 win over St. Mary's on Friday night, while Baldwin-Wallace topped #12 ranked Denison 54-53.

Manchester took a 28-26 lead into the half, and exploded for an 18-6 run to start the second half with a 46-32 lead with 14 minutes remaining. Manchester pushed their lead to as many as 20 before settling for the 59-45 win.

Jaimie Childress lead Manchester with 13 points off the bench, hitting 5-7 shots from the floor and 3-4 three-point attempts. She added three assists, three steals and a blocked shot. Kailey Honn added 11 points on 4-9 shooting with three rebounds, a blocked shot and an assist, while Alex Starkey hit 5-7 from the floor for 10 points. Jocelyn Hamilton had nine assists and five steals. Honn and Hamilton each were named to the All-Tournament Team while Childress was named Tournament MVP.

Denison posted an 81-74 win over St. Mary's in the consolation game.

Manchester improves to 2-1 on the year and will be in action again Friday, Nov. 25 as they travel to Mount Union for a two-day tournament. MC will face Waynesburg starting at 6 p.m. on Friday.

11.18.11 - MC POSTS 66-54 WIN OVER ST. MARY'S
Manchester's women's basketball team notched a 66-54 win over St. Mary's (Ind.) in Friday's opening day contest of the 2011-12 Manchester College Bankers' Classic on Friday.

Manchester took a 26-23 lead into the half, and following a field goal by St. Mary's to start the second half, Manchester used a 13-4 run to take a 39-29 lead, and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half to pick up the 66-54 win.

Kailey Honn paced the Spartans with a 12 point, four rebound performance as she hit 5-9 from the floor and 2-3 free throws. Jaimie Childress added 11 points, hitting 3-5 three-point attempts with a pair of steals. Laine Mello chipped in 10 points on 5-6 shooting and tied a team high five rebounds along with Becki Lowden.

Manchester improves to 1-1 on the year and will face Baldwin-Wallace, who was a 54-53 winner over #12 Denison in the other tournament game, on Saturday at 3 p.m. for the 2011 Bankers Classic Championship game. Denison will face St. Mary's at 1 p.m.

11.15.11 - SPARTANS FALL SHORT IN 48-43 LOSS TO CALVIN
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 48-43 loss to Calvin at home as Manchester started the 2011-12 season.

Manchester held a 21-12 lead going into the half, holding Calvin to 5-26 (19.2%) shooting in the first half, 1-9 from behind the three-point line and 1-3 free throws. Calvin came out in the second half to shoot 14-28 (50%) from the floor, overcoming a 39-32 deficit with ten minutes remaining to pick up the 48-43 win over Manchester.

Janelle Moss led MC with 10 points, hitting 5-9 from the floor and added three rebounds. Becki Lowden added nine points on 4-8 shooting and had six rebounds, three steals and two assists. Alex Starkey added six rebounds and three assists, while Kailey Honn added seven rebounds, an assist, steal and blocked shot.

Manchester drops to 0-1 on the year and will resume action at home this Friday and Saturday as they host the MC Bankers' Classic. On Friday Denison will face Baldwin-Wallace at 6 p.m. followed by Manchester vs. St. Mary's (Ind.) at 8 p.m. Saturday's consolation game will start at 1 p.m. followed by the championship game at 3 p.m.

2.26.11 - SPARTANS FALL 93-65 IN HCAC SEMI-FINALS
Manchester fell to top-seeded and tournament host Hanover College 93-65 in the semi-final round of the HCAC Tournament on Saturday. Manchester struggled in the first half, shooting 9-31 from the floor (29 percent) and 0-9 from behind the arc, and took a 45-20 deficit into the half. MC shot 55 percent (16-29) from the field in the second half, but could not chip away at the Panther lead as Hanover ended with a 93-65 win.

Melissa Eltzroth and Kelsey DeMott ended the game with 14 points each. DeMott was 8-8 from the free throw line and had six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Eltzroth was 3-6 from behind the arc and added two assists and a steal. Ashley Poe and Janelle Moss had eight points each.

Manchester finishes the year 14-13 overall and enior Kelsey DeMott was named to the All-Tournament Team.

2.25.11 - SPARTANS RALLY PAST DEFIANCE IN HCAC TOURNAMENT OPENER TO POST 74-62 VICTORY
Four-seed Manchester College's women's basketball team posted a 74-62 win over fifth-seed Defiance in Friday's HCAC Tournament quarterfinal, hosted by Hanover College.

MC found themselves down just 23-20 at the half after shooting 18 percent from the floor, and trailed by as many as 17 as Defiance opened the second half with a 16-2 run to go ahead 39-22 with 18:40 remaining. The Spartans rallied to tie the game at 44-44 with 10:34 remaining in the contest and used 15-20 free throw shooting down the stretch to pick up the 74-62 win. The Spartans scored 36 of their 74 points from the free throw line, going 36-47 in the game.

Manchester was led by senior Kelsey DeMott, who scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to go with her two blocked shots. Ashley Poe added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Melissa Eltzroth went 8-8 at the free throw line for 11 points and added four rebounds and two steals. Brittani Bush added 10 points and five rebounds in the win.

Manchester improves to 14-12 on the year and will face top-seeded and tournament host, Hanover College starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship game.

2.19.11 - SPARTANS RALLY FROM 17 DOWN AT THE HALF TO PICK UP 75-74 WIN ON SENIOR DAY
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 75-74 conference win over Transylvania to close out the regular season on Saturday from MC's Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.

Manchester trailed 44-27 at the half, as Transylvania shot 52 percent from the floor. After a Pioneer basket to start the second half to take a 19 point lead, Manchester went on an 11-2 run to cut the score to 38-48 with 16:42 left. Trailing 44-58, MC went on another run of 17-3 to tie the game at 61-61. Trailing 74-73, MC's Melissa Eltzroth hit the game winning layup with two seconds remaining on a Brittani Bush assist to give Manchester the 75-74 win.

Laine Mello led MC with 21 points, hitting 9-13 shots from the floor and had 11 reboundds. Brittani Bush added 11 points on 4-7 shooting, while Eltzroth added 10 points. Senior Kelsey DeMott wrapped up her final home game of the year with nine points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Manchester improves to 13-12 on the year, 11-7 in the conference and finish fourth in the regular season standings. They will travel to Hanover for the HCAC Conference Tournament starting Friday, as the Spartans will face Defiance starting at 6 p.m.

2.16.11 - SPARTANS FALL TO ANDERSON 62-51
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Anderson 62-51 on Wednesday night, leaving Manchester locked into fourth place in the conference standings.

Manchester trailed 19-8 to start the game, took it to within five points before settling for a 29-20 Anderson lead at the half. Anderson outscored MC 33-31 in the second half to take the 62-51 win.

Laine Mello led Manchester with 13 points, and added seven rebounds, a blocked shot and an assist. Alex Starkey added eight points and eight rebounds, with six assists, two blocks and a steal. Erynn Meiklejohn added seven points and four rebounds with three steals.

Manchester drops to 12-12 on the year, and 10-7 in the HCAC. They will close out the regular season on Saturday as they host Transylvania starting at 1 p.m., followed by men's action at 3 p.m.

2.12.11 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO FRANKLIN 54-46
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to host Franklin College 54-46 at Franklin on Saturday. Manchester trailed 25-24 at the half, and shot just 26% from the floor in the second half as Franklin picked up the eight point win.

Laine Mello led Manchester with 12 points and eight rebounds, hitting 4-6 from the floor and 4-6 free throws to go with her two blocked shots. Ashley Poe added nine points and eight rebounds with a pair of steals, while Erynn Meiklejohn chipped in eight points with two blocks and a steal.

Manchester falls to 12-11 on the year, 10-6 in the conference standings. They will travel to Anderson on Wednesday and host Transylvania for the final game of the regular season on Saturday.

2.9.11 - DEMOTT NETS 15 POINTS AS SPARTANS POST 60-55 WIN OVER BLUFFTON
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 60-55 road win at Bluffton Wednesday night to remain in fourth place in the conference standings with three games left in the regular season.

Manchester trailed 26-25 at the half, despite being up by as many as 11 points midway through the first half. Alex Starkey's jumper with 17:41 left in the contest gave Manchester the lead for good as the team shot 58 percent from the floor in the second half to pick up the 60-55 win.

Kelsey DeMott led MC with 15 points, hitting 4-10 field goals and 7-12 free throws. She added seven rebounds, three assists, five steals and two blocked shots. Starkey ended the game with 13 points on 5-10 shooting, and had three assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Erynn Meiklejohn added 10 points and eight rebounds with two steals in the win.

Manchester improves to 12-10 overall, 10-5 in the conference. They will travel to Franklin on Saturday.

2.5.11 - MC PICKS UP 49-43 WIN OVER ROSE-HULMAN
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 49-43 conference win over Rose-Hulman on Saturday.

MC stretched a 17-16 lead with 2:41 left in the first half into a 23-19 halftime advantage. Rose-Hulman chipped their way back, and held a 39-38 lead with 3:27 left in the game, but an Alex Starkey three-pointer gave the Spartans a one-point lead, and an Ashley Poe three-point play set up the 49-43 win.

Starkey led MC with 13 points and seven rebounds. Poe chipped in 10 points, two assists and two rebounds. Erynn Meiklejohn added eight points, hitting 4-5 shots from the floor and had three rebounds, while Laine Mello added six points and six rebounds.

Manchester improves to 11-10 overall, 9-5 in the conference. Manchester travels to Bluffton on Wednesday and Franklin on Saturday.

2.3.11 - SPARTANS FALL TO DEFIANCE 85-76
Head Coach Josh Dzurick was without three of his starters Thursday as Manchester fell to Defiance 85-76. The Yellow Jackets opened the game with a 28-13 lead 13 minutes into the contest, but Manchester bounced back on a 16-5 run to make it a 34-29 DC lead with two minutes left in the half, but Defiance managed to take a 41-33 lead into the break. In the second half, MC got to within one point, 55-54 but it wasn't enough as Defiance held on to take the 85-76 win.

Alex Starkey led MC with 18 points, hitting 7-16 shots from the floor and 3-4 free throws. She added five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Janelle Moss added 14 points, hitting 7-12 shooting off the bench, while Ashley Poe added 13 points and four rebounds with a pair of blocked shots. Kelsey DeMott scored 12 points and had five rebounds on the night.

Manchester falls to 10-10 overall, 8-5 in the conference. They remain at home for Saturday's HCAC contest against Rose-Hulman starting at 2 p.m., followed by men's action at 4 p.m.









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2011-12 Media Guide