GLASSBORO (NJ) – The Delaware Valley University women's basketball team dropped its 2017-18 season opener on the road to Rowan University, 86-76, on Wednesday night.
 
The Profs got out to a 10-point lead halfway through the first quarter after Olivia Rulon hit a 3-pointer to make it 16-6. They led by as many as 13 in the quarter and took a 25-13 lead into the second.
 
The Aggies cut into the lead with a 12-5 run to open the second stanza. Freshman Lauren Moretti and sophomore Sarah Wills each hit a pair of treys during the spurt. DelVal trailed by six later in the second before junior Danielle Skedzielewski drained a 3-pointer and freshman Olivia Gorman followed with seven straight points to give the Aggies their first lead of the game at 35-33 less than a minute before the half.
 
Rowan responded with five points to close out the second quarter and took a 38-35 advantage into the locker room.
 
Dominique Peters scored two layups to open the second half and put the Profs up by seven before sophomore Ashley Smink connected from beyond the arc to cut the Aggies' deficit to 42-38.
 
Later in the stanza, Smink hit another three to pull DelVal within one, 44-43, but Rowan used a 13-7 run the rest of the stanza to take a 57-50 lead into the final quarter.
 
Monika Smallwood scored an and-one to start the fourth quarter and pull the Aggies within four, but that was as close as they would come as the Profs eventually used a 17-7 run to pull away
 
Smink, an all-Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom honorable mention a season ago, led the Aggies with 19 points including five 3-pointers. Skedzielewski, a member of the all-MAC second team from 2017, had a team-high 10 rebounds to go with 12 points while Moretti and Wills each hit three times from beyond the arc and had 15 and 10 points respectively.
 
Rowan had four players place in double figure scoring, including Peters who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 14 boards to go with five assists and four steals. Summer Crilley added 17 points and Olivia Rulon dropped in 12. Alexis Kriley followed with 10 points.
 
The Aggies will head to Stockton University this weekend for a Tip-Off Tournament where they are slated to take on New England College in the first round on Saturday at 7 p.m.