Box Score WASHINGTON (DC) – The Delaware Valley University women's basketball team came out on the winning end of an overtime thriller in the nation's capital, defeating Catholic University, 64-63 in the first round of the Gallaudet University Holiday Tournament on Friday.
The Aggies (2-7) will face Trinity Washington University (4-4) in the championship game on Saturday, December 12 at 2:00 p.m. The Tigers won over the host Bison (2-3), 55-46 in the other first round matchup. The Cardinals have a 3-5 record. They made an appearance in last season's NCAA Championship Tournament after winning the Landmark Conference.
With DelVal down three (53-50) with 52 seconds remaining in regulation, senior
Eireann Anastasi was fouled on a three-point attempt. She sank the trio of foul shots to tie the score. Each team missed a potential game-winning basket in the final seconds, including Aggie freshman
Brianna Rivello's chance from beyond the arc at the buzzer.
Catholic senior Michelle DeSantis and Anastasi traded shots from three-point land in the first 1:31 of the extra session. Freshman
Danielle Skedzielewski nailed a trey with 2:27 to go for a DelVal lead. Junior Melissa Errico and DeSantis recorded consecutive baskets and the Cardinals had a 60-59 advantage (1:15). Anastasi drained a three-point shot to give the Aggies the lead for good with 56 seconds to go. Catholic had an opportunity to win it but DeSantis' jumper at the buzzer was off the mark.
With the score tied at two in the opening quarter, DelVal went on a 12-0 run and led 14-2 with 4:17 left. Anastasi poured in eight points on two three-pointers and a layup. Junior
Sam Foy and Skedzielewski added two points apiece. Catholic responded with 12 of the next 15 points to cut the deficit to three (17-14) with 6:34 on the second quarter clock. DeSantis sparked the run with five points, followed by senior Jayni Webster with three and junior Bridget Power and Errico with two apiece.
The Aggies had 10 consecutive points for a 27-14 advantage with 1:29 remaining. Five different players scored in the surge, including a triple by senior
Kelsey Kilpatrick, which moved her into the program's all-time top-10 for three-pointers made. The Cardinals had the final five points of the period and DelVal led 27-19 at the break. Anastasi registered 12 points in the half.
The two teams traded momentum throughout the third period. The Aggies had their largest lead of the contest at 14 (41-27) with 2:39 remaining in the frame. Catholic closed the quarter with six straight points to trail by eight. DeSantis had four of the six. After Skedzielewski opened the fourth with a layup, the Cardinals went on a 10-0 run to tie the score at 43 apiece (4:08). Four different players tallied points. Both squads traded baskets before senior Kristen Walheim's jumper (1:45) and two free throws by Errico (1:08) gave Catholic the 53-50 advantage.
Anastasi finished with a career-high 28 points, including six baskets from long range, to move into eighth on the school's all-time list (1,345 career points). Foy posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Kilpatrick came up just short of a double-double of her own, totaling nine points and eight assists. She made three triples, putting her at 120 for her career, 10
th all-time. Skedzielewski contributed with nine points and 11 boards. Rivello grabbed 13 rebounds.
DeSantis and Webster led the Cardinals with 17 points apiece. Webster also had eight rebounds. Errico chipped in with 11 points and five assists. Walheim and Power each added eight points and Power also had eight boards.
