North Manchester, Ind. - Manchester Women's Basketball put forth a determined effort Sunday afternoon but came up short in a 79–65 loss to Mount Union inside Stauffer-Wolfe Arena.

Manchester battled evenly through much of the first half, taking an early lead behind strong post play from Hannah Holmes and steady guard production from Kayla Gibbs and Hailee Kline. The Spartans led 15–13 after one quarter before Mount Union's offense caught fire in the second, using transition points and second-chance looks to edge ahead 34–31 at halftime.

In the second half, Manchester continued to fight behind the duo of Abigail Rosenkrans and Kline. Rosenkrans led the Spartans with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Kline added 17 points, including two three-pointers and seven makes from the free-throw line. Holmes anchored the paint with nine points and five rebounds, Gibbs chipped in eight points and two assists, and Kendal Rider sparked the defense with six steals.

The Spartans shot nearly 45 percent from the field and connected on six three-pointers but were hindered by 22 turnovers, which Mount Union converted into 28 points. Despite the setback, Manchester's defensive energy—highlighted by 11 steals—kept the game competitive deep into the fourth quarter.

Manchester moves to 1–1 on the season and will look to rebound in its next non-conference matchup before heading into conference play.