DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Delaware Valley College built a 19-point halftime lead and then had to hold on at the end as the Aggies dealt visiting Manhattanville College its first Freedom Conference loss of the year, 69-65.

The win was the third straight for Delaware Valley as it improved to 11-5 overall and 4-2 in the Freedom. The Aggies are also a perfect 7-0 at home, including all of four of their conference games. The Valiants saw their records fall to 10-5 overall and 5-1 in the Freedom.  

It was all Aggies in the first half, particularly the final 12 minutes, as they sprinted out to a 39-20 advantage. They hit 45.5 percent of its shots from the field, including a 6-for-12 effort from 3-point land. Meanwhile, the Delaware Valley defense held the Valiants to just eight field goals in 28 attempts (28.6%) and forced 12 turnovers.

Manhattanville's Jennifer Mcsharar hit a layup with 11:41 remaining in the stanza to tie the game at 12-12. The Aggies then went on a 14-0 run over a four-minute span thanks to four points from Emily Soper, treys from Kim Vennera and Sarah Delcasale and buckets by Jackie Shunkwiler and Brittney Zimmerman.

It was still a 14-point game with three minute left when back-to-back bombs by Brittany Battinieri and Vennera and a Vennnera layup upped the advantage to 22. Janette Arnold ended the run with a 3-pointer with 33 seconds left in the half for the 39-20 halftime score.

Manhattanville used an 8-0 spurt early in the second half to make it to make it a 51-42 ballgame with 11:44 remaining. Delaware Valley responded with five straight to up the lead to 14 and looked like it held off the Valiants' rally attempt as it still held a 62-52 advantage with 4:28 left on the clock.

However, Manhattanville went on a 9-1 run, including five from Simona Gordon, to make it a one-possession game at 63-61 with 1:30 remaining. The Aggies then turned the ball over but the Valiants missed a shot and Battinieri was fouled with 45 seconds to go. She missed the first shot, but Manhattanville's Janetta Arnold was called for a technical foul as she was leaving the court. Zimmerman stepped to the line and sank both free throws off the technical before Battinieri missed her second for a 65-61 score.

Carey Hickey was fouled at the other end just 12 seconds later and she hit both attempts to make it a two-point game. Vennera was then fouled with 28 ticks to go, but the senior hit just one of two free throws for a 66-63 score. Jennifer Mcsharar made it a one-point contest with a layup with 14 seconds to go and Zimmerman, Delaware Valley's top free throw shooter, was fouled a second later. She canned both to make it 68-65. 

Manhattanville came down and Gordon got a good look at a game-tying trey with 5.2 seconds remaining, but her shot was off the mark and it got stuck against the rim and the backboard. The possession arrow was in favor of the Aggies giving them the ball. Battinieri was fouled and she hit one of two shots to put away the Valiants. 

Soper finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to pace Delaware Valley. Battinieri and Vennera poured in 15 and 14 points respectively while Zimmerman had 10 points, four assists and four steals while playing all 40 minutes. 

Gordon had 14 points and four steals for Manhattanville while Hickey finished with 12 points, five assists and four steals. Mcsharar came off the bench to add eight points and a game-high 13 boards.