Box Score WILKES-BARRE (PA) – Delaware Valley University upped its winning streak to three as the Aggies forced 32 Wilkes University turnovers, en route to a 65-45, Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom road victory.
DelVal is perfect since the calendar turned to 2016 with triumphs over Dickinson College (62-54), Manahttanville College (80-47) and Wilkes. The Aggies are 6-9 overall and 2-2 in conference play while the Lady Colonels fell to 2-12 and 0-4.
Defense was the story for DelVal as it forced 18 miscues in the first half and 14 more over the final 20 minutes while holding the opponent to 26.5 shooting from the field. Senior
Eireann Anastasi recorded 11 of her team's 24 steals, including eight in the first stanza alone. She missed the school record by just one as Michelle Shirk had 12 steals against King's College in 1988). Anastasi's 11 steals upped her career total to exactly 200 and eighth place on the school's all-time list.
DelVal never trailed in the game as it scored the first four points and nine of the first 12. The team led by nine after the first quarter and upped the advantage to 13, 24-11, on a
Sam Foy layup just 53 seconds into the second. The Lady Colonels responded with an 11-2 spurt, including a trio of 3-pointers, to make it a four point contest, but DelVal countered with eight straight, six by
Kelsey Kilpatrick, to make it a 34-22 contest. The Aggies still led by 12, 39-27, at the break.
Wilkes cut its deficit into single digits in the third quarter and trailed by nine, 48-39, at the start of the fourth. DelVal then put the contest away as Foy opened the quarter with two layup with a
Danielle Skedzielewski layup in-between. Skedzielewski then hit one of two free throws with 7:35 to go to complete a 7-0 run and a 55-39 advantage. The Lady Colonels never got closer than 14 points the rest of the way.
In addition to her 11 steals, Anastasi racked up 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. Her five helpers upped her four-year total to 353 and into fourth place on the Aggie all-time list, passing Moira Donohue (349 assists from 2004-08).
Skedzielewski, a freshman, poured in a season-high 19 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Kilpatrick had 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals while Foy finished with 12 points, six boards and three blocks.
Brianna Rivello added four steals in the win.
Emily Sutton was the lone Lady Colonel player to reach double figures in scoring as she came off the bench to tally 10 points and five rebounds. Ashley Caster and Missy Oertner also came off the bench and each scored eight points.
DelVal will travel to three-time defending MAC Freedom champion and 2014 national champion FDU-Florham on Wednesday, January 20.
