10.25.09 - WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TO FACE IPFW IN EXHIBITION GAME NOV. 6
Manchester's women's basketball coach Josh Dzurick has announced the women's basketball program will face IPFW in a pre-season exhibition game on Friday, November 6. Manchester will face the Division I IPFW starting at 7 p.m. at the Gates Sports Center, located on the campus of IPFW. The Spartans are coming off their fourth straight winning season, and open the regular season November 20 & 21 at the Earlham College Tournament.

2.24.09 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO FRANKLIN 70-62 IN HCAC TOURNAMENT OPENER
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Franklin College 70-62 in the first round of the HCAC Conference Tournament on Tuesday.

Manchester trailed 29-28 at the half, while Franklin used a 17-7 run in the last four minutes of the game to break a 53-53 tie and take the eight point win.

Kelley Meiklejohn finished the game with 21 points, and finishes second on the all-time scorers list with 1,503 points. She added seven rebounds while hitting 8-20 shots from the field. Sarah Bose ended with 18 points on 7-13 shooting, adding nine rebounds four assists and three steals. Bose finishes as MC's all-time steals leader in a career with 322 and becomes MC's all-time steals leader in a season with 91.
Rachel Wilkinson chipped in 13 points and four rebounds.

Manchester ends the year 14-12 overall.

2.21.09 - SPARTANS FALL TO ROSE-HULMAN 39-37, BOSE ALL-TIME STEALS LEADER
Cold first-half shooting by Manchester proved costly in Saturday's regular season finale at Rose-Hulman as the Engineers picked up a 39-37 win. Manchester hit just 3-21 in the first half with the last field goal coming from Kelley Meiklejohn at the 11:21 mark. MC closed out the first half with seven free throws to take a 21-15 deficit into the half. Sarah Bose connected on a basket :50 into the second half to break the field goal drought, and MC went on a 20-8 run to take an eight point lead, 37-29 with 5:20 to go. The Engineers tied the game at 37 all with 16 seconds remaining, and ended up posting a 39-37 win.

Meiklejohn ended the game with 15 points and six rebounds and a pair of steals. Rachel Wilkinson added nine points and four rebounds with three steals while Sarah Bose recorded seven steals in the game. Her 88 steals on the year puts her in second place in steals in a season, and sets a new school record for career steals with 319, breaking Leanne Lake's record of 318 set back in 1998.

Manchester falls to 14-11 overall, 9-7 in the HCAC. They finish in a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings. Manchester will be a fifth seed in the HCAC Tournament and will travel to Franklin College on Tuesday for the opening round of the HCAC Conference Tournament, scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. contest.

2.18.09 - MANCHESTER POSTS 61-55 SENIOR NIGHT WIN OVER ANDERSON
Despite trailing 17-6 early in the first half, Manchester hit 52% from the floor in the second half to pick up a 61-55 win over Anderson.

Manchester used a 14-4 run to close out the first half, taking a 25-23 lead into the break, but Anderson opened the second half with a 14-5 run to take a 37-30 lead with 12 minutes remaining. Manchester retook the lead for good following a Kelley Meiklejohn layup with 3:27 remaining and held on to post a 61-55 victory.

Rachel Wilkinson scored a team high 17 points, adding three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Meiklejohn and fellow senior Sarah Bose had 16 points apiece for MC. Bose recorded four steals and is now six shy of becoming MC's all-time leader in steals. Toni Hayward added seven points and six rebounds.

Manchester improves to 14-10 overall, 9-6 in the HCAC. They close out the regular season Saturday at Rose-Hulman.

2.14.09 - HANOVER TOPS MC 65-53, MEIKLEJOHN MOVES TO SECOND IN ALL-TIME SCORING
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to host Hanover College 65-53 on Saturday. The Panthers jumped out to a 26-16 lead with six minutes left in the first half, and built on that lead to take a 37-24 lead into halftime, and maintained momentum in the second half to post the 65-63 win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 26 points, hitting 11-16 shots from the field and adding seven rebounds and two steals. She now has 1,451 career points, and surpasses Leanne Lake's 1,436 points for second all-time in scoring. Meiklejohn needs 85 points to tie leader Carolyn McGuire's total of 1,536 points. Sarah Bose added eight points and seven assists, to go along with her eight rebounds.

Manchester drops to 13-10 overall, 8-6 in the HCAC. They fall to one game behind Hanover in the conference standings for fourth place. A pair of wins by Manchester and a Hanover loss can overcome HC in the conference standings for fourth, or even battle for third place with Franklin in the conference standings. Manchester returns to action at home Wednesday against Anderson.

2.7.09 - WOMEN PICK UP 64-50 WIN AGAINST MT. ST. JOSEPH, MEIKLEJOHN NOW THIRD IN ALL-TIME SCORING
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 64-50 conference win over Mount St. Joseph on Saturday after trailing 27-26 at the half, but shot 50% from the field in the second half to outscore The Mount 38-23.

After trailing 34-31 early in the second half, Manchester assembled a 17-4 run to take a 10-point, 48-38 lead with 10 minutes remaining, and went up by as many as 16 points following a Sarah Bose three-pointer with 2:40 left.

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 22 points, hitting 6-12 shots from the floor and 9-12 shots from the free throw line. She added four rebounds and four steals. Rachel Wilkinson added 15 points on 9-12 shooting from the free throw line, while Sarah Bose chipped in seven points, four assists and three steals. Bose is 12 steals shy of becoming MC's all-time steals leader, currently held by Leanne Lake with 318.

Manchester improves to 13-9 overall, 8-5 in the HCAC. They are on a bye date on Wednesday, but return to action Saturday at Hanover for a 3 p.m. contest, followed by the men at 5 p.m.



2.4.09 - MANCHESTER POSTS 62-55 WIN OVER FRANKLIN
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 62-55 win over Franklin at home Wednesday night. Manchester trailed 27-25 at the half, but used 5-9 three-point shooting in the second half to outscore Franklin 37-28 in the second half to pick up the 62-55 win.

Sarah Bose led MC witih 19 points, hitting 7-16 shots from the field and added seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. She is just 15 steals away from being the all-time leader, a record held by Leanne Lake with 318. Kelley Meiklejohn added 18 points, hitting 8-14 shots and added 12 rebounds. Rachel Wilkinson chipped in 16 points and five rebounds with three steals.

Manchester improves to 12-9 overall, 7-5 in the HCAC and returns to action Saturday as they host Mount St. Joseph starting at 3 p.m., followed by men's basketball action at 5 p.m.

1.31.09 - DEFIANCE TAKES 74-52 WIN AT MANCHESTER, MEIKLEJOHN MOVES TO FOURTH ALL-TIME IN SCORING
The women's basketball team fell to Defiance 74-52 in conference action Saturday afternoon from Manchester's Stauffer-Wolfe Arena, giving Manchester its third loss in four games.

Another sluggish start for the Spartans early in the game found them down 17-7 in the first eight minutes of action, but pulled to within four, 26-22, with 3:36 left to play. Defiance closed out the first half on an 11-0 run to take a 37-22 lead into the half, and secured the win jumping out to a 7-2 run early in the second half to pick up the 74-52 win.

Sarah Bose led Manchester with 12 points, hitting 4-6 shots and adding five rebounds and three steals. Kelley Meiklejohn moved into fourth place in career scoring with her 10 points on the afternoon. Meiklejohn's 1,385 points surpasses Jaime Wilson, who had 1,383 points in her career.

Manchester falls to 11-9 overall, 6-5 in the HCAC. They return to action Wednesday at home as they face Franklin.



1.28.09 - MANCHESTER PICKS UP 84-76 WIN OVER BLUFFTON
The Manchester women's basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak with an 84-76 win in road action Wednesday night. The Spartans closed out the first half with a 10-3 run to take a 33-32 lead.

Manchester led by eight at the 11:36 mark, 56-48, before Bluffton took a one-point lead at 62-61 with 7:40 to go. A three-point play by Sarah Bose gave MC the lead, and they never trailed again as they picked up the 84-76 win, thanks to 68 percent shooting in the second half.

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 30 points, hitting 13-17 shots from the floor and adding five rebounds and three steals. Sarah Bose added 22 points on 6-9 shooting and 10-10 from the free throw line. She had five rebounds and two steals. Toni Hayward scored six points to go with her three rebounds and two blocked shots, and Brittani Bush chipped in seven points in the win.

Manchester improves to 11-8 overall, 6-4 in the HCAC. They return home on Saturday to face Defiance in the first game of a doubleheader scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

1.24.09 - TRANSY HANDLES MC 91-68
The women’s basketball team fell to Transylvania 91-68 in conference action Saturday. Transy jumped out to a 23-8 lead to start the game and never looked back as they posted a 23 point win over Manchester. Manchester struggled from behind the arc, hitting just 2-19 shots (10.5%).

Rachel Wilkinson led MC with 16 points, hitting 5-9 attempts from the floor.  Kelley Meiklejohn added 12 points, three rebounds and two steals, whie Sarah Bose added 10 points, four steals and three assists.  Kailey Honn added eight points, six rebounds while Toni Hayward chipped in seven points to go with her eight rebounds. 

Manchester falls to 10-8 on the year, 5-4 in the HCAC.  They return to action Wednesday at Bluffton for a 7:30 p.m. contest.

1.21.09 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO ANDERSON 66-51
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Anderson 66-51 in road action Wednesday night. Anderson jumped out to a 21-4 lead to start the first half and took a 27-16 lead into the break. The Spartans closed the gap to a 47-40 AU lead with 8 minutes remaining in the game, but couldn't get any closer as the Ravens picked up the 66-51 win.

Sarah Bose led Manchester with 20 points, hitting 5-10 three-pointers and adding five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Kelley Meiklejohn added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Kelsey DeMott added 10 points on 4-5 shooting, including two three's.

Manchester falls to 10-7 overall, 5-3 in the HCAC. They return to action Saturday at Transylvania in the first game of a doubleheader and will be carried live via video from Transy.

1.17.09 - MANCHESTER DEFEATS ROSE-HULMAN 71-57
The women's basketball team picked up a 71-57 win over Rose-Hulman on Saturday to improve to 5-2 in league play and forcing a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings with Anderson and Franklin.

Manchester used a 21-13 run the last eight minutes of the first half to take a 39-28 lead at the break. Manchester led by as many as 21 points in the second half before finishing the game with a 71-57 conference win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 19 points, hitting 8-12 shots from the floor and adding two assists, a steal and three rebounds. Lauren Kalis added 14 points on 4-8 shooting from behind the arc and added four rebounds. Rachel Wilkinson added nine points while Toni Hayward added seven rebounds to go with her three points.

Manchester improves to 10-6 overall, 5-2 in the conference. They travel to Anderson on Wednesday.




1.10.09 - MC POSTS 75-72 OVERTIME WIN AGAINST MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Manchester's women's basketball team snapped a two-game skid on Saturday, posting a 75-72 overtime win at Mount St. Joseph.

The Spartans led 31-23 at the half, and were up by as many as 14 points with a 41-27 lead early in the second half before the Mount went on a 12-2 run to make it a 43-37 contest with 12:20 remaining. MSJ took a three point lead with a 10-0 run late in the game, and connected on just one of two free throws with one second remaining to force overtime.

In the extra session, Sarah Bose scored seven of her 21 points, while Lauren Kalis hit a three-pointer and Kailey Honn added a lay-up to give MC the 75-72 win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 22 points, hitting 10-14 shots and adding six rebounds and two steals. Bose hit 7-13 shots on the day for her 21 points, adding five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Honn finished the day with 11 points and seven rebounds to go with her two blocked shots.

Manchester improves to 9-6 overall, 4-2 in the HCAC. They are off Wednesday but return to varsity action Saturday as they host Rose-Hulman at 7:30 p.m. JV action resumes Thursday as the Spartans host Taylor-Fort Wayne.

1.7.09 - SPARTANS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT GAME IN 51-47 LOSS TO HANOVER
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Hanover 51-47 in home action Wednesday night. Despite being without their top scorer Molly Martin, Hanover took a 30-21 lead into the half, holding MC to 9-28 shooting, including 0-7 from the three-point line. Manchester went down as many as 10 points in the second half before cutting the Hanover lead to one with 31 seconds remaining but fell short in the 51-47 loss.

Kelly Meiklejohn led MC with 18 points and six rebounds. Rachel Wilkinson added nine points. Kailey Honn, who ranks 25th in the nation in blocked shots had four points and five blocks in the loss.

Manchester falls to 8-6 overall, 3-2 in the HCAC. They travel to Mount St. Joseph on Saturday for the first of two games, with the men's team following at 5 p.m.

1.4.09 - MANCHESTER DROPS FIRST CONFERENCE GAME OF YEAR
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Franklin 62-60 on Sunday, suffering their first conference loss of the season. Manchester trailed 32-23 at the half, and trailed by 10 points with 3:40 left in the second period before using a 12-3 run to make it a 58-57 Franklin advantage with :43 seconds remaining. A three-point play by Franklin on the following possession sealed the 62-60 win for the Grizzlies.

Kelley Meiklejohn led all scorers with 23 points, hitting 8-17 shots from the field and adding eight rebounds. Rachel Wilkinson added 14 points, hitting 6-9 shots to go with her two steals and one rebound. Sarah Bose added five points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds in the loss.

Manchester falls to 8-5 on the year, 3-1 in the HCAC. They host Hanover on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. contest followed by men's basketball action at 8 p.m.


12.29.08 - SPARTANS POST 58-50 WIN OVER CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 58-50 win over host California Lutheran in the consolation game of the Cal Lutheran Tournament on Monday.

Manchester led by six points with eight minutes left in the first half, but a run by Cal Lutheran gave the Regals a 28-25 halftime lead. Manchester used a 10-2 run midway through the second half in the second half to take a 48-44 lead with nine minutes left, and held on to take the 58-50 win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 12 points on 5-11 shooting, adding 10 rebounds for the Spartans. Kristen Lancaster added 11 points and five rebounds with four steals, while Brittani Bush and Rachel Wilkinson added 10 points each. Bush hit all three of her three-point attempts while Wilkinson grabbed seven rebounds and two steals.

Manchester improves to 8-4 on the year and returns to action Sunday, Jan. 4 as they travel to Franklin to resume HCAC Conference action.

12.28.08 - MC FALLS TO WISCONSIN STOUT 80-61
The University of Wisconsin Stout used a 27-4 run in the first half to take a 40-22 lead at the end of the first half to post an 80-61 win over Manchester in the opening game of the California Lutheran Tournament.

Kelley Meiklejohn led Manchester with 18 points, hitting 6-12 shots and adding eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Rachel Wilkinson added 14 points and two steals, while Lauren Kalis added eight points. Kailey Honn recorded six blocked shots and a steal to go with her three rebounds and five points.

Manchester drops to 7-4 on the year, and plays host California Lutheran Monday at 1 p.m. PST. That game will be carried live on a video stream here.

12.20.08 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO ST. FRANCIS 81-72
Manchester's womens' basketball team fell to St. Francis 81-72 in action Saturday from MC's Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.

St. Francis closed out the first half with an 11-2 run to take a 32-28 halftime lead, and used a 9-2 run to start the second half to take a 41-30 lead with 17:45 remaining. The Cougars took a 77-61 lead with 2:45 remaining before Manchester an 11-2 run of their own to cut the St. Francis lead to 78-69 with 53 seconds remaining and held on to take the 81-72 win.

Manchester's Kelley Meiklejohn had a team-high 18 points. She added four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lauren Kalis added 13 points, hitting 5-10 shots and 3-6 three pointers, and added four rebounds while Rachel Wilkinson went 4-6 from the field for 11 points.

For St. Francis, Marie Kaufmann hit 9-15 shots to lead all scores with 20 points and seven rebounds. Jamika Banks added a double double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 5-7 shots and 9-12 free throws. Vini Dawson added 14 points and five rebounds, hitting 6-8 shots from the floor, while Jessica Teubert and Stacia Shepherd added 11 points each.

Manchester falls to 7-3 on the year while St. Francis moves to 8-6. Manchester returns to action Sunday, December 28 as they take part in the California Lutheran Holiday Tournament.

12.13.08 - SPARTANS REMAIN UNBEATEN IN CONFERENCE PLAY FOLLOWING 79-67 WIN OVER DEFIANCE
Manchester College posted a 79-67 win in women's basketball action Saturday against Defiance to remain undefeated in HCAC action with a 3-0 record.

Manchester held just a three-point lead at the half 37-34, and took their first double-digit lead with 14:15 left in the game as MC led 51-41 and maintained that lead to post the 12-point victory.

Rachel Wilkinson led Manchester with 20 points on the afternoon, hitting 13-14 free throw attempts and adding five rebounds. Kailey Honn chipped in 13 points, hitting 6-11 shots from the floor with five rebounds while Kelley Meiklejohn added 12 points on 6-6 free throw shooting with six rebounds. Lauren Kalis was 3-5 from the floor and Toni Hayward hit 5-8 shots as both scored 10 points each. Sarah Bose added nine points, six rebounds and five steals in the win.

Manchester moves to 7-2 on the year, 3-0 in the HCAC. They return to action Saturday in the rescheduled contest with St. Francis, as Manchester hosts St. Francis at 2 p.m.

12.10.08 - MANCHESTER RALLIES FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN 70-66 OVER ST. MARY'S
Manchester's women's basketball team rallied from seven points down in the final three minutes of action to post a 70-66 win over St. Mary's on Wednesday night.

Both teams battled to a 28-28 tie at the half, with Manchester taking a 45-34 lead four minutes into the second half. St. Mary's went on a 20-2 run to take a 54-47 lead with 10 minutes remaining and held a 66-59 advantage after a pair of Anna Kammrath free throws with 3:03 remaining. Four straight scores by Manchester gave MC a 67-66 lead with 21 seconds remaining, and held on to take the 70-66 win.

Kristen Lancaster and Kelley Meiklejohn led all scores with 16 points each. Lancaster was 7-13 from the field and added eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. Meiklejohn was 6-10 from the floor, 2-2 from three-point territory and added six rebounds and two steals. Kailey Honn was 5-6 from the floor for 12 points, adding five rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Rachel Wilkinson added 11 points and three assists.

Manchester picks up their third straight win of the year, and returns to action Saturday at Defiance.

12.6.08 - SPARTANS POST 79-65 WIN OVER TRANSYLVANIA
Manchester's women's basketball team handed Transylvania their first loss of the year in a 79-65 win in MC's Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.

Manchester jumped out to an 18-6 lead the first four minutes of the game and never looked back, taking a 45-29 lead at the half and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half to pick up the 14-point win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led Manchester with 25 points, hitting 10-14 shots form the field and added eight rebounds and two assists. Rachel Wilkinson added 20 points, hitting 6-13 shots and 6-7 free throws. She had four assists and three steals. Toni Hayward added six points and eight rebounds in the win.

Manchester advances to 5-2 on the year, 2-0 in the HCAC. They return to action at home on Wednesday as they host St. Mary's (Ind.).

12.3.08 - MC POSTS 66-61 CONFERENCE WIN OVER BLUFFTON, RAISE AWARENESS FOR BREAST CANCER
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 66-61 double overtime win over Bluffton for MC's first conference win of the year.

Manchester trailed 11-5 early in the game, but put together a 18-6 run to take a 26-17 lead with four minutes remaining. MC extended that lead to take a 29-21 lead into the half.

Bluffton opened the second half with a 20-4 run to take a 41-33 lead with eight minutes remaining and were up nine with four minutes to go, with Rachel Wilkinson scoring five points in MC's 9-0 run to tie the game and force overtime with a tied score, 48-48.

Both teams scored four points in the first overtime to force a second extra session. Kelley Meiklejohn scored seven points in the second overtime to give MC the 66-61 win.

Meiklejohn led MC with 19 points, hitting 13-16 free throws and grabbing seven rebounds. Rachel Wilkinson added 13 points and five rebounds, while Sarah Bose added 12 points, seven steals and six assists. Kailey Honn had seven blocked shots and six points for MC in the win.

Manchester improves to 4-2 on the year, 1-0 in the HCAC. They resume HCAC play on Saturday as they host Transylvania at 1 p.m., followed by men's action at 3 p.m.

11.30.08 - MANCHESTER FALLS 61-59 TO OTTERBEIN AT ST. MARY'S TOURNAMENT
Manchester's women's team fell 61-59 to Otterbein in the second day of action from the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic. Manchester trailed 34-33 at the end of the first half, and were outscored 27-26 by Otterbein in the second for the two-point Cardinal win.

Rachel Wilkinson led all scorers with 18 points, hitting 6-12 shots from the floor and grabbing four rebounds. She was named to the All-Tournament Team. Kelly Meiklejohn ended the game with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Sarah Bose added 13 points with four assists and a pair of steals.

Manchester falls to 3-2 on the year, and returns action on Wednesday as they start the HCAC season at home against Bluffton.
The women's basketball team will sport pink jerseys in Wednesday's contest to help raise and promote awareness of breast cancer.

The Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research, in collaboration with the Women's Basketball coaches Association launched the program last year, with over 800 schools taking part in the Think Pink campaign.

Jerseys will be auctioned off after the game with all proceeds going towards breast cancer research. Manchester's JV team will face Bluffton starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by varsity action at 7:30 p.m.

11.29.08 - SPARTANS FALL TO #11 UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO 56-46
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to #11 The University of Chicago for their first loss of the season in the first day of the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic.

Manchester trailed 27-18 after the first half, shooting just 18 percent from the field on 5-28 shooting. MC shot 25 percent from the floor in the second half to be outscored by The Maroons 29-28. MC forced 24 turnovers and commited just 11 in the game.

Rachel Wilkinson led Manchester with 11 points and four steals. She was 8-10 from the free throw line and added four rebounds. Kelley Meiklejohn was held to nine points after averaging 23 points in her first three games. Kristen Lancaster added seven points and four rebounds.

Manchester falls to 3-1 on the year, and will face Otterbein in the second day of action from the St. Mary's Tournament on Sunday.

11.25.08 - MEIKLEJOHN LIFTS SPARTANS OVER TRINE 60-59
Manchester's Kelley Meiklejohn connected on the game-winning layup with :04 remaining to give Manchester a 60-59 win over Trine Tuesday night. Manchester trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half, but went on a 25-5 run to take a 57-47 lead with just under five minutes remaining. Trine's Kristen Julian made a three-point play to give the Thunder a 59-58 lead with :22 remaining, setting up Meiklejohn's layup on a Sarah Bose assist.

Meiklejohn led all scores with 23 points, hitting 7-16 shots from the floor and 8-10 free throws. She added 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Rachel Wilkinson added 13 points, four assists and three steals. Kristen Lancaster added four steals and three rebounds in the win.

Manchester improves to 3-0 on the year and returns to action Saturday and Sunday at the St. Mary's Tournament.

11.23.08 - SPARTANS POST 64-60 WIN OVER WOOSTER IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF WOOSTER TOURNAMENT
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 64-60 win over Wooster College in the championship game of the Wooster College Nan Nichols Tournament on Sunday. Manchester held a 32-30 lead ealry in the second half, then went on a 29-9 run to make it a 61-39 contest with 9:30 remaining. Wooster went on a 21-1 run with 1:16 left in the game to make it a 62-60, but couldn't pull any closer as Manchester posted the 64-60 win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led the team with 16 points, hitting 7-14 shots from the floor. She added 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals and was named the Tournament MVP. Toni Hayward added 10 points, hitting 4-8 shots, while Kailey Honn and Sarah Bose scored eight points each. Bose added six assists and five steals and was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Defensive Player. Kailey Honn was selected to the All-Tournament team as well.

Manchester improves to 2-0 on the year and returns to action at home on Tuesday as they host Trine starting at 7 p.m.

11.22.08 - MANCHESTER POSTS 59-52 WIN OVER BETHANY IN OPENING GAME OF WOOSTER TOURNAMENT
Manchester College's women's basketball team opened the 2008-09 season with a 59-52 win over Bethany College in the opening game of the Wooster College Nan Nichols Tournament.

Manchester, plagued by 14 turnovers in the first half, trailed 35-21 at the break. Manchester bounced back in the second half to outscore Bethany 38-17, hitting 54 percent from thefield and 12-14 free throws.

Kelley Meiklejohn scored 30 points to lead all scorers as she hit 10-17 shots from the floor and 9-12 free throws. She added eight rebounds and two steals in the win. Rachel Wilkinson added 11 points and two steals, while Sarah Bose had 11 points, five steals and three assists.

Manchester moves to 1-0 on the year, and returns to action Sunday as they face Wooster in the championship game starting at 3 p.m.


3.7.08 - SPARTANS FALL TO WISCONSIN WHITEWATER 77-60 IN FIRST ROUND OF NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater 77-60 in the opening round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament.  Whitewater jumped to a quick 12-0 lead after the first six minutes of   action, but a pair of baskets by Kristen Lancaster and Kailey Honn and two free throws by Sarah Bose cut the UWW lead to five, 15-10 with 10:40 left.  Jasmyne Ahmad scored two straight baskets to cut the lead to four, but Whitewater went on an 11-5 run to take a 29-19 lead.  Manchester closed the first half with a pair of Sarah Bose layups to give UWW a 30-26 halftime lead.

In the second half, Whitewater scored eight straight points and shot 60 percent from the floor to outscore Manchester 47-34 in route to the 77-60 win. 

Sarah Bose led Manchester with 15 points while Jasmyne Ahmad added nine points on 4-4 shooting.  Kristen Lancaster and Kailey Honn added eight points and five rebounds each.

Manchester ends the year 19-9 overall.


3.1.08-SPARTANS TRAVEL TO ILLINOIS WESLEYAN TO FACE WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER IN OPENING ROUND OF NCAA TOURNAMENT
The field of 63 teams has been announced and the NCAA will send Manchester College's (19-8) women's basketball team to Illinois Wesleyan on Friday, March 7 to face the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (24-3) in the opening round of the NCAA Championships.  Illinois Wesleyan (25-2) will face Maryville (Mo.) (24-3) on Friday with the winners advancing to Saturday's second round. Game times will be announced soon.

This is the third straight NCAA appearance for Manchester.  The Spartans lost to Washington University-St. Louis in the previous two opening round contests.  Manchester earned the HCAC's automatic bid to the post-season tournament following its 52-50 win over Anderson in Saturday's HCAC Tournament championship.  For a complete bracket, visit d3hoops.com's link here.

3.1.08 - MANCHESTER CAPTURES THIRD STRAIGHT HCAC TOURNAMENT TITLE, BOSE NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP AFTER NAILING GAME WINNER

Manchester College won their third straight women's basketball conference tournament championship Saturday following a 52-50 win over Anderson.  Manchester's Sarah Bose connected on an 18-foot baseline jumper with 0.9 seconds remaining to give Manchester the victory, mirroring the previous two HCAC Tournament championship games where Manchester posted a 67-65 win over Franklin in 2006 and a 70-69 win over Transylvania in last year's tournament.

Manchester held a 36-21 advantage at halftime, and after going up 17 early in the second period, the Spartan offense cooled off.  A Bose jumper with 13:51 left in the game would be the last successful field goal until her game-winner with under a second remaining.  Manchester remained in the game by hitting 10-12 free throw attempts in their drought, and fought off an Anderson surge that included a 17-5 run over the last seven minutes to tie the game at 50-50 with 17 ticks on the clock. 

Bose ended the game with 11 points, four assists and three steals and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.  Kelley Meiklejohn and Kailey Honn added eight points each.  Honn was 3-4 from the field and added seven rebounds while Meiklejohn added six rebounds.  Jessica Henn, Sarah Conwell and Kristen Lancaster added seven points apiece.  Both Meiklejohn and Henn were named to the All-Tournament team. 

"These games just don't get any easier," says third-year head coach Josh Dzurick, who improves to 61-23 as a head coach.  "Anderson did a good job of being aggressive defensively in the second half, but we were able to keep our focus and make free throws when they mattered most. It's a great win for our seniors and our program."

Manchester improves to 19-8 overall, and earns the HCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships.  Team pairings will be announced Monday morning with a live feed of the selection show available through NCAAsports.com starting at 9 a.m.

2.29.08 - SPARTANS EYE THIRD STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING 69-58 WIN OVER TRANSYLVANIA
Kelley Meiklejohn's 17 points helped the Manchester College women's basketball team advance to their third straight HCAC Conference Tournament championship game as the Spartans downed Transylvania 69-58 Friday night. 

Manchester jumped out to a 19-8 lead with 11 minutes to go in the first half and were up by 14 with less than a minute to go before Transy scored five straight to close the half with a 36-27 Manchester lead.  The Pioneers pulled to within two points, 50-48 with 10:51 remaining, but MC used an 8-0 run to gain a 10 point advantage and held on for the 69-58 win. 

Jessica Henn and Sarah Bose added 14 points apiece for Manchester.  Henn was 5-8 from the field with five rebounds and a pair of blocks and a steal, while Bose connected on 6-12 shots and added five rebounds, four assists and four steals.  Meiklejohn added nine rebounds to go with her 17 point performance. 

Manchester advances to Saturday's championship game where they will face Anderson starting at 2 p.m.

2.23.08 - MANCHESTER STAKES CLAIM IN SECOND STRAIGHT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING A 60-52 WIN OVER ANDERSON
Manchester's women's basketball team won a share of the HCAC Conference championship on Saturday following the Spartans' 60-52 win over Hanover to close out the regular season.   Manchester shares the regular season title with Anderson University. 

MC used a 16-0 run to close out the first half and aid in a 31-25 lead at the break.  Hanover was able to close the gap to four points on two occasions but the Spartans never let the lead, or a shot at another conference championship out of their sights. 

Kelley Meiklejohn became just the ninth Spartan to reach the 1,000 point mark in a career.  The junior forward connected on a pair of free throws with :30 seconds remaining to reach her milestone.  She ended the game with 15 points, hitting 7-10 free throws and added nine rebounds.  MC was led in scoring by Rachel Wilkinson, who scored 16 points, and added six rebounds.  Sarah Bose added eight points and six boards while Toni Hayward chipped in nine points. 

The Spartans end the regular season 17-8 overall, 12-4 in the HCAC.  They will advance to the HCAC Conference Tournament Championships this Friday at Anderson University.  Manchester will face the winner of the Rose-Hulman/Transylvania contest with an 8 p.m. scheduled tip-off.  For a complete tournament schedule, click here.

2.20.08 - ANDERSON DEFEATS MANCHESTER 71-44, SPARTANS NEED WIN ON SATURDAY TO EARN SHARE OF CONFERENCE TITLE
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Anderson 71-44 on Wednesday, giving Anderson at least a share of the HCAC conference title, while Manchester can clinch a share with a win on Saturday against Hanover. 

Anderson closed the first half with a 23-2 run to take a 35-14 lead into the break.  The Ravens outscored Manchester 36-30 in the second half and held them to 29 percent field goal shooting to pick up the 71-44 victory. 

Sarah Bose led Manchester with 11 points, hitting three of six three point attempts.  Rachel Wilkinson, this week's HCAC Player of the Week, scored 10 points. 

Manchester falls to 16-8 overall, 11-4 in the HCAC.  They return home for Saturday's final game of the regular season against Hanover with a 3 p.m. start.  The men will follow at 5 p.m. also against Hanover as part of Manchester College's M Association Winter Homecoming.

2.16.08 - MANCHESTER POSTS 47-41 WIN OVER ROSE-HULMAN, QUEST FOR A CONFERENCE TITLE RESTS ON GAME AT ANDERSON WEDNESDAY
Manchester's women's team picked up a 47-41 win over Rose-Hulman on Wednesday and remain a half game up over Anderson in the league standings.  A win by Manchester on Wednesday would lock the conference title outright for Manchester. 

Manchester held a 25-18 lead at the half and were outscored by the Engineers 23-22 in the second period after shooting 5-16 from the field. 

Rachel Wilkinson led Manchester with 15 points, hitting 8-10 free throws and adding two steals.  Kelley Meiklejohn added nine points and two rebounds while Sarah Bose had seven points, four assists and a steal. 

Manchester improves to 16-7 overall, 11-3 in the HCAC.  They travel to Anderson on Wednesday before returning home for the final game of the regular season Saturday at home against Hanover.  The women tip-off at 3 p.m. followed by the men at 5 p.m., all part of the Manchester College M Association Winter Homecoming weekend.

2.13.08 - SPARTANS PICK UP 74-64 WIN OVER DEFIANCE
Manchester College's women's basketball team maintain a half game lead over Anderson in the conference standings following the Spartans 74-64 win over Defiance on Wednesday night. 

Manchester used a 13-2 run midway through the first half to take a 27-15 lead with seven minutes remaining, and held a 35-26 lead at halftime.  Defiance cut the lead to three, 43-40 with 14 minutes remaining in the game, but MC outscored Defiance 17-6 over the next eight minutes of action to take an 11-point lead, 60-49 with six minutes remaining. 

Rachel Wilkinson scored a game-high 18 points on 5-9 shooting from the floor and 8-10 free throws to go with her six rebounds.  Kelley Meiklejohn and Sarah Bose added 16 points each, with Meiklejohn adding nine rebounds and Bose recording six assists and seven steals.  Jessica Henn added 15 points and nine rebounds in the Spartans' win. 

MC improves to 15-7 overall, 10-3 in the HCAC.  They host Rose-Hulman on Saturday.

2.9.08 - HANOVER TOPS MC 62-55
Manchester's women's team fell to host Hanover College 62-55 on Saturday, closing their conference leading lead over Anderson to just a half game. 

Manchester held a 30-27 lead at the half, but the Panthers went on an 11-1 run midway through the second half to take a 52-42 lead with 5:40 to go.  Manchester cut the deficit to three, 54-51, following a pair of Sarah Conwell three-pointers with 3:40 to go, but Hanover held on to take the seven-point win. 

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 14 points and four rebounds.  Conwell ended the game 5-9 from the floor for 13 points and six rebounds, while Sarah Bose added 10 points and five rebounds.  Kailey Honn recorded three blocked shots to bring her total to 34 on the year. 

Manchester falls to 14-7 overall, 9-3 in the HCAC.  They return to action Wednesday at Defiance starting at 7:30 then host Rose-Hulman on Saturday with a 3 p.m. start.

2.6.08 - MANCHESTER RALLIES TO DEFEAT BLUFFTON 64-61
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 64-61 win over Bluffton on Wednesday to keep a one-game lead over Anderson atop the conference standings. 

Bluffton led by as many as seven in the first half, 34-27 with 1:26 remaining, but Jasmyne Ahmad scored four of her seven points to cut the lead to 34-31 at the break.   Manchester went on a 10-0 run to start the second half to take a 41-34 lead with 16 minutes to go, but Bluffton went on a 13-0 run over the next six minutes to take a 47-41 lead with under 10 minutes remaining.  Kelley Meiklejohn's lay up with 38 seconds remaining gave MC their final lead of the game, 62-61 in route to the three-point win. 

Meiklejohn led all scores with 19 points.  She added eight rebounds and two steals. Sarah Bose added 11 points and four steals, while Jessica Henn had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Manchester improves to 14-6 overall, 9-2 in the HCAC.  They travel to Hanover on Saturday as part of a doubleheader with the men's team scheduled for a 3 p.m. start. 

2.2.08 - SPARTANS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT IN 71-60 LOSS TO FRANKLIN
The Manchester College women's basketball team dropped a 71-60 conference match to Franklin on Saturday, narrowing their league lead to just one game over Anderson.

Franklin jumped out to a 16-8 lead seven minutes into the first half and held a 39-26 lead at the break.  In the second half, the Grizzlies took a 48-30 lead four minutes in, but MC went on a 12-2 run to closed the gap to a 50-42 advantage with 10:34 remaining in the game.  MC got to within five points with four minutes remaining, but it wasn't enough as FC pulled off the 71-60 win. 

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 19 points, hitting 8-15 shots from the floor and added seven rebounds. Kristen Lancaster added nine points on 4-6 shooting.  Rachel Wilkinson added seven points and five rebounds in the loss. 

Manchester falls to 13-6 overall, 8-2 in the HCAC.  They return to action Wednesday as they travel to Bluffton for a 7:30 p.m. start.

1.26.08 - TRANSY SNAPS MC'S CONFERENCE WIN STREAK, HANDS SPARTANS FIRST LOSS OF SEASON
71-70
Manchester's 23 conference game winning streak came to a halt on Saturday as Manchester's women's team fell to Transylvania 71-70 for MC's first conference loss of the year. 

Manchester and Transy ended the first half locked at 38-38, with the Pioneers jumping to a nine-point lead, 53-44 with 12 minutes remaining in the second half.  Down by ten points with six minutes to go, MC put on a 17-6 run to take a 68-67 lead with under two minutes remaining following a pair of three-pointers from Kelley Meiklejohn and third from Sarah Conwell.  Transy scored on the following play to take the one-point lead, and eventually the 71-70 win.

Meiklejohn and Jessica Henn led MC with 12 points each.  Kelsey DeMott and Kristen Lancaster added 11 points each.  Sarah Bose and Kailey Honn added eight points each while Sarah Bose had nine assists on the afternoon. 

Manchester falls to 13-5 overall, 8-1 in the HCAC.  They have a bye game on Wednesday and return to action Saturday as they host Franklin for a 3 p.m. contest.

1.23.08 - MC PICKS UP 23RD STRAIGHT CONFERENCE WIN, MEIKLEJOHN SCORES 22 IN WIN OVER DEFIANCE
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 67-61 win over Defiance on Wednesday to extend their conference winning streak to 23 games.

The Spartans took a 40-27 lead into halftime, holding Defiance to 30 percent shooting from the field (10-33 FG).  Defiance outscored MC 34-27 in the second half, and pulled within one point 62-61 with 90 seconds remaining, but a three-point play by Sarah Bose and a lay-in from Rachel Wilkinson aided in the Spartan win.

Kelley Meiklejohn led all scorers with 22 points, hitting 8-14 shots from the floor and added nine rebounds for MC. Bose added 14 points with five rebounds and four assists, while Rachel Wilkinson added 13 points on 4-4 shooting from the floor and the free throw line.  Sarah Conwell added six steals defensively.

Manchester improves to 13-4 overall, 8-0 in the HCAC, and travel to Transylvania on Saturday.

1.19.08 - SPARTANS DEFEAT MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 56-43, GRAB 22ND STRAIGHT CONFERENCE VICTORY
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 56-43 road win over Mount St. Joseph on Saturday to improve to a perfect 7-0 in the HCAC. 

Manchester jumped to a 23-6 lead midway through the first half, and took a 32-9 lead into halftime.  The Spartans forced MSJ to 11 percent field goal shooting in the first half, 3-27, and 23 percent overall for the game. 

Nine Spartans scored in the game, led by Jessica Henn's 11 points.  She added three rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot.  Kelley Meiklejohn added eight points with six rebounds and a steal. Rachel Wilkinson added seven points while Kelsey DeMott added six rebounds and Stacia Gerardot added five boards and a pair of steals. 

Manchester improves to 12-4 overall, 7-0 in the HCAC.  They host Defiance on Wednesday starting at 7:30 p.m.

1.16.08 - SPARTANS TOP ANDERSON 60-47, REMAIN UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up their fifth straight win Wednesday in a 60-47 victory over Anderson, marking the school's 21st straight conference win. 

Manchester held a 28-24 lead at the half, and led by as many as 13 in the first half after starting the game on an 18-5 run. Anderson came back in the second half to cut the Spartan lead to one, 45-44 with 8:50 left, but MC closed out the game with a 15-3 run to end the game.

Kelley Meiklejohn ended the game with a game-high 22 points on 91-6 shooting.  She added five steals defensively for the Spartans.  Sarah Bose added 14 points on 6-10 shooting, with five rebounds and four assists.  Jessica Henn added 10 points and eight rebounds. 

Manchester improves to 11-4 overall, 6-0 in the HCAC.  They play at Mount St. Joseph 5 p.m. Saturday following the men's contest. 

1.12.08 - HENN SCORES 15 AS MANCHESTER DEFEATS ROSE-HULMAN 57-45
Manchester's women's basketball team posted their 20th straight conference win Saturday following a 57-45 road win. 

Manchester held a 21-12 lead at the half, limiting Rose-Hulman to 5-21 shooting from the field, yet connected on 6-20 shots themselves.  The Spartans regrouped in the second half to shoot 12-22 from the field in route to the 57-45 win. 

Jessica Henn led Manchester with 15 points, shooting 4-5 from the floor and 7-8 at the free throw line.  She added six rebounds in the win.  Kelley Meiklejohn added 13 points and three rebounds with a pair of steals.  Lauren Kalis chipped in seven points and five rebounds for the Spartans. 

Manchester moves to 10-4 overall, 5-0 in the HCAC.  They host Anderson on Wednesday.

1.9.08 - SPARTANS WIN 19th STRAIGHT CONFERENCE GAME FOLLOWING 61-58 WIN OVER BLUFFTON
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up their 19th straight conference win Wednesday night as the Spartans defeated Bluffton 61-58.

Manchester held a three point lead at the half 29-26, but Bluffton rallied to take an eight point lead, 47-39 with 11 minutes remaining.  Manchester went on a 13-2 run over the next six minutes of action to take a three point lead with five minutes to go in the contest.

Sarah Conwell led Manchester with 14 points, hitting 5-8 shots from the floor, 3-5 three point attempts and had six rebounds.  Kailey Honn went 4-5 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line for 12 points.  She added six blocked shots and three rebounds. 

Manchester improves to 9-4 overall, 4-0 in the HCAC.  They travel to Rose-Hulman on Saturday.


1.5.08 - MC MOVES TO 3-0 IN CONFERENCE PLAY FOLLOWING 70-59 WIN OVER FRANKLIN
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 70-59 road win over Franklin Saturday to improve to 3-0 in conference play. 

Manchester and Franklin went into the half with a 36-36 tie, and the Spartans held FC to 26 percent field goal shooting in the second half to take the 70-59 win. 

Kelley Meiklejohn led MC with 16 points, connecting on 7-13 shots from the floor and had nine rebounds and three blocked shots on the day.  Kristen Lancaster added 13 points on 6-6 shooting from the field and added two steals defensively.  Rachel Wilkinson and Jessica Henn added nine points each while Sarah Bose had eight rebounds to go with her  seven points, five steals and five assist performance.

Manchester improves to 8-4 overall, 3-0 in the HCAC.  They host Bluffton on Wednesday night.

12.29.07 - BOSE NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM AS MC DEFEATS WITTENBERG 61-52 IN CONSOLATION GAME
Manchester's women's basketball team defeated host Wittenberg 61-52 in the consolation game of the Wittenberg University Charles B. Zimmerman Tournament. 

Manchester held a 31-24 lead at the half, and outscored Wittenberg 30-28 in the second stanza to pick up the nine point win. 

Sarah Bose led all scorers again with 21 points, hitting 7-10 shots from the floor and 6-8 free throw attempts.  She added three asissts, five rebounds and four steals for MC.  Kelley Meiklejohn had 17 points, with six rebounds and three assists.  Sarah Conwell chipped in five points, five rebounds and four steals for the Spartans.

Manchester improves to 7-4 on the year, and resumes conference play on Saturday, January 5 as they travel to Franklin for a 3 p.m. tip-off.

12.28.07 - SPARTANS FALL TO JOHN CARROLL 72-61
The Manchester College women's basketball team returned to action Friday at the Wittenberg University Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic where they fell to John Carroll 72-61. 

John Carroll used a 12-2 run early in the second half to take a 49-38 lead with 15 minutes remaining to aid in the 11-point win. 

Sarah Bose led all scorers with 20 points, hitting 7-12 shots from the floor and 5-7 free throws.  She added eight steals and four rebounds.  Kelley Meiklejohn chipped in 17 points on 7-13 shooting with five rebounds.  Sarah Conwell had seven boards with three assists and a steal. 

Manchester falls to 6-4 on the year, and returns to action Saturday as they face Wittenberg in the consolation game starting at 12:30 p.m.

12.18.07 - MANCHESTER FALLS TO #8 ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 87-55
Illinois Weselyan snapped a three-game win streak by the women's basketball team as number eight in the nation IWU defeated Manchester 87-55. 

Manchester and IWU were tied at 9-9 six and a half minutes into the game, but the Titans went on an 11-0 run to take a 20-9 lead with 11 minutes remaining. Manchester pulled to within five points, 20-15 with seven minutes left, but IWU closed out the first half with a 22-7 run to take a 42-22 lead at the break.

Kelley Meiklejohn led Manchester with 12 points on 4-10 shooting.  She added three rebounds, one assist and a steal. Sarah Bose, Rachel Wilkinson and Kelsey DeMott added seven points each. DeMott added five rebounds while Bose added four rebounds and six assists.

Manchester falls to 6-3 on the year, and travel to the Wittenberg Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 28-29.  Manchester opens against John Carroll at 12:30 p.m.

12.16.07 - SPARTANS POST 58-55 WIN OVER CARTHAGE
The Spartan women's basketball team posted a 58-55 win at Carthage on Sunday. Carthage went into the contest ranked 28th in the Division III Coaches' Poll.

Carthage took their biggest lead of the game at the 12:19 mark in the first half as they opened with a 17-4 run. Manchester responded with 13 straight points following a pair of three-pointers from Sarah Bose and five straight points from Kelley Meiklejohn to tie the game with under nine minutes remaining. MC closed out the first half on a 13-6 run to take a 35-28 lead into the break.

A 10-2 run in the second half gave the Spartans a 45-30 advantage with 12:35 remaining, but Carthage pulled to within three points, 54-51 with 3:21 left, but Manchester maintained their lead to pick up the 58-55 win. 

Lauren Kalis led Manchester with 14 points, connecting on 4-6 three point attempts and added five rebounds.  Sarah Bose added 13 points with six assists and three steals, while Kelley Meiklejohn scored 12 points with her eight rebounds, three assists and two steals in the game.  Rachel Wilkinson added 10 points on 4-8 shooting with a pair of steals and three rebounds. 

Manchester improves to 6-2 on the year, and returns home Tuesday to face #10 Illinois Wesleyan starting at 5 p.m. 12.08.07 - MANCHESTER POSTS 63-55 WIN OVER TRANSYLVANIA
Manchester's women's basketball team posted a 63-55 win over Transylvania on Saturday to extend their conference season winning streak to 17 games. Manchester took a 26-24 into the half, and used 20-23 shooting at the free throw line in the second half to aid in the 63-55 victory.

Kelley Meiklejohn and Rachel Wilkinson led all scorers with 17 points each. Sarah Conwell and Jessica Henn added eight points each as Manchester improves to 5-2 on the year, 2-0 in the HCAC. 

The Spartans return to action Sunday, December 16 as they travel to Carthage.

12.01.07-MC PICKS UP 59-55 WIN OVER MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Manchester's women's basketball team picked up a 59-55 win over Mount St. Joseph to start the HCAC conference season.  The Spartans extend it's conference win-streak to 16 games after winning 15-straight last season. 

Manchester held a 24-18 lead at the half, holding the Lions to 26 percent shooting on 7-27 shots.  The Lions bounced back in the second half, connecting on 60 percent of their field goals.  MSJ took a 37-36 lead with 10:50 to go in the game, but MC went on a 12-2 run to take a nine-point lead three minutes later, 48-39. 

Kelley Meiklejohn led all scorers with 14 points.  Rachel Wilkinson added 10 points for MC, while Jessica Henn added eight points and six rebounds. 

Manchester moves to 4-2 on the year, 1-0 in the HCAC.  They host Transylvania on Saturday with a 3 p.m. start. 

11.25.07-WOMEN'S BASKETBALL FALL TO WILMINGTON IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Cold shooting was the downfall Sunday as the women's basketball team fell to host Wilmington College in the championship game of the Wilmington College Fred Raizk Tournament.

Manchester trailed by just four points, 24-20 in the first half despite 9-33 shooting from the floor and 2-10 three point attempts.  MC connected on 4-23 shots from the floor in the second half as Wilmington outscored MC 32-18 in route to the 56-38 win. 

Kelley Meiklejohn led all Spartans with 10 points on 4-9 shooting and was named to the All-Tournament team.  Sarah Bose added nine points for MC.

Manchester falls to 3-2 overall, and returns to action Saturday at home where they host Mount St. Joseph to start the HCAC season. The men will play at 3 p.m. followed by the women at 5 p.m.

11.24.07-SPARTANS WIN OPENING GAME OF WILMINGTON TOURNAMENT 62-42
The MC women's basketball team posted a 62-42 win over Penn State Brehend in the opening game of the Wilmington College Fred Raizk Basketball Tournament.

Manchester opened up a 10-2 run to start the game, but Penn State Brehend responded with seven straight points.  MC put a 9-0 run together to take a 19-10 lead with seven minutes remaining, and held that lead to take a 32-18 advantage into halftime.  Brehend pulled to within six points midway in the second half, but MC finished the game on a 22-8 run for the 62-42 win.

Rachel  Wilkinson scored a game-high 13 points on 5-9 shooting. Sarah Conwell added nine points and five assists, while Kelley Meiklejohn added six points and five rebounds. Toni Hayward was 4-4 from the floor for eight points to go with her five rebounds.  Jessica Henn and Jasmyne Ahmad each added seven rebounds for MC. 

The Spartans (3-1) advance to the championship game on Sunday, where they will face host Wilmington College at 3 p.m.

11.20.07-BIG FIRST HALF LIFTS MC OVER TRI-STATE 66-56
Manchester's women's team defeated Tri-State 66-56 in non-conference action on Tuesday. The Spartans held a 36-16 lead at the half.  They maintained a 20 point lead, 54-34 after a Kelsey DeMott jumper with less than 10 minutes remaining, but Tri-State went on a 12-1 run to cut the Spartan lead to nine, 55-46 with under five minutes to go in the game.

Sarah Bose led all scorers with 20 points on 7-17 shooting.  She added seven rebounds, four steals and three assists in the win.  Kelley Meiklejohn hit 8-13 shots for 18 points, and recorded a double-double with an 11 rebound performance.  She added two blocks and a steal for MC.  Kailey Honn added 12 points and five blocked shots for MC.

Manchester improves to 2-1 on the year.  They travel to the Wilmington College Fred Raizk Tournament this weekend, and open up against Penn St. Brehand on Saturday starting at 8 p.m.

11.16.07-MANCHESTER FALLS TO CAPITAL IN SEASON OPENER
Manchester's women's basketball team fell to Capital in the opening game of the 2007 Manchester College Bankers' Classic on Friday 71-57.  Capital is currently ranked 20th in the Preseason Poll on d3hoops.com.

The Crusaders held a 41-29 lead at the half after taking a 12-2 advantage to start the game and were up by as many as 13 in the first half as they held a 26-13 lead with less than 10 minutes remaining.  Manchester went on a 14-5 run to cut the Capital lead to a 31-27 margin with three minutes, but Capital used a 10-2 spurt to close out the half.

Kelley Meiklejohn had 19 points to lead all scorers in the game.  She added seven rebounds and a blocked shot for the Spartans.  Sarah Bose added 18 points while Rachel Wilkinson added 13 points for MC. 

Manchester will face Dominican in the consolation game of the tournament starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday as Dominican fell 83-81 to Kalamazoo in overtime.

8.22.07-CONNER NAMED NEW ASSISTANT COACH
Joanna Conner will serve as the new women's basketball assistant coach for the 2007-08 season.  Conner was a four-year letter winner Millikin University (Ill.) before graduating with a degree in secondary education in the spring of 2006.  She served as an assistant athletic director and assistant women's basketball coach for one year before arriving at Manchester. 

As a player, Conner was part of the Millikin team that captured the NCAA Division III championship in 2005.  She was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and was a two-time All-Conference selection for the CCIW.  She served as team captain as a senior and ranks fourth in rebounds and 13th in scoring in a career at Millikin. 

Along with her coaching duties, Conner will serve as a strength and conditioning coordinator for Spartan athletes.

3.02.07-SPARTANS FALL BY TWO IN OPENING ROUND OF NCAA TOURNAMENT The Manchester College women's basketball season game to a close on Friday night following a 54-52 loss to #9 in the nation Washington University (St. Louis) in the opening round of the Division III NCAA women's basketball tournament, hosted by Lake Forest College. 

Manchester took a 2-0 lead following a Heather Terflinger lay-up as neither team were able to score in the first two and a half minutes.  Washington caught fire over the next 11 minutes of play and went on a 27-3 run to hold a 27-5 lead with just over six minutes remaining in the first half.  Two three pointers by Manchester's Sarah Conwell helped the Spartans to chip the Wash U. lead to a 29-11 advantage with two minutes remaining before entering the half down 33-17.

In the second half Manchester trailed 45-27 with 14:27 remaining, but sophomore Stacey Wendel scored seven straight points for the Spartans to cut the Washington lead 47-37 with 10:24 remaining.  Kelley Meiklejohn's three pointer and a jumper helped spark a 15-2 run by Manchester to take a one point lead with 5:56 remaining as Sarah Bose hit a three pointer.  Stacey Wendel's layup with 1:34 remaining gave Manchester a three point lead..  Wash U. scored four straight points on a pair of free throws and a jumper to take one point lead, 53-52 with 32 seconds remaining.  Sarah Bose missed a the tying layup with three seconds remaining in the game allowing Washington University the 54-52 win.

Stacey Wendel ended the game with 15 points, hitting 6-10 shots from the floor.  Kelley Meiklejohn and Sarah Conwell each had 11 points apiece for Manchester with Meiklejohn added sevenrebounds. 

Manchester ends the season 21-7, tying a school record for most wins in a year and setting a school record for best winning percentage in a season. 

3.01.07-FOUR SPARTANS NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference has announced the 2006-07 All-Conference awards, with four Spartans named First Team and one honorable mention.  Manchester closed out the conference with 13 straight wins to capture its first league title in 20 years.  They used their 15th consecutive win to win the HCAC Conference Tournament and will make their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament this Friday. 

Named to the First Team squad were Heather Terflinger (Sr. North Manchester,, Ind.), Sarah Bose (So. Indianapolis, Ind.), Kelley Meiklejohn (So. Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Stacey Wendel (So. Plymouth, Ind.)  Jessica Henn was named to the Honorable Mention team.

Wendel was the 2006 HCAC Freshman of the Year last season, and led the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game this year, hitting 43% from the floor and 38% of her three point attempts.  Meiklejohn was second in scoring at 10.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.   Both players were named to the HCAC All-Tournament team last week. 

Sarah Bose was the Tournament MVP, and averaged 7.7 points per game, hitting 42% of her shots from the floor.  She recorded 84 steals on the year while dishing out 78 assists.  Terflinger was third in scoring with 8.6 points per game.  She averaged 4.4 rebounds and recorded 47 assists and 42 steals.  Jessica Henn shot 46% from the floor this year while averaging 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. 

Manchester College coach Josh Dzurick picked up his second straight HCAC Coach of the Year award for Manchester, who is currently 21-6 on the year heading into Friday's NCAA Tournament game vs. Washington University.