Box Score DOYLESTOWN (PA) – In the final game of the 2017 season, Delaware Valley University fought from five goals down, but fell just short of completing the comeback as visiting Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom foe Eastern University escaped with the 18-16 victory.
 
The Aggies concluded the best season in program history with an 8-6 record overall and 2-5 mark in MAC Freedom games. This year's squad set a number of single-season records in the third year of the young program under head coach Ramona Walters including top marks in goals (190), assists (56), points (246), shots (412) and ground balls (335).
 
During this game, the Eagles (5-11, 3-4) led 3-1 less than five minutes in thanks to three tallies from Anna Charlebois before Samantha Collyer made it a one-goal game with 23:30 on the first half clock.
 
Eastern then went on a 5-1 run over the next 12:13 to open up its first five-goal advantage at 8-3. Moriah Bourk scored twice in the spurt for the Eagles and Graeleigh Lackey tallied for the Aggies.
 
Kara Imes pulled DelVal to within four less than a minute later, and the two squads traded three goals apiece until the halftime buzzer where Eastern held an 11-7 advantage. Charlebois, a senior, scored her sixth goal of the game during that stretch for her 200^th collegiate tally.
 
In the second half, the Aggies scored three times in the first five-plus minutes to pull within one. Lackey capped off the run with her fourth goal of the day and the 100^th goal of the junior's career to make it 11-10.
 
However, the Eagles scored the next four goals to regain the five-goal advantage as Liz Brennan scored twice including one during a man-up situation. Lackey then scored her fifth of the game, but Julie Haggan countered just 16 seconds later to make it 16-11 with 16:17 left in regulation.
 
DelVal began its valiant comeback with three goals separated by just 22 seconds to pull within two of Eastern. Amanda McKeegan scored first with a nice solo effort and Collyer got the next two, both after successfully controlling the draw and taking it 50 yards to the net.
 
After Liz Brennan made it 17-14, DelVal senior Jordan Sanocki notched her first of the game and the Aggies trailed by two with 9:04 left. McKeegan then made it a one-goal game with a free-position shot and it was 17-16 with 5:42 on the clock.
 
The Eagles controlled the ensuing draw, but DelVal forced a turnover and Sanocki scooped the ground ball. As it set up the offense, Lackey got off a shot that was saved by the foot of the keeper and Brennan found the ground ball on the rebound and Eastern successfully cleared.
 
From there, the Eagles maintained possession in the offensive zone for the final four minutes and scored a goal in the waning seconds to seal the 18-16 final.
 
Before the game, DelVal honored Sanocki with a Senior Day celebration. She did not disappoint as she finished with one goal, five ground balls, five draw controls and two caused turnovers. In the process, Sanocki set a new Aggie single-season record with 21 caused turnovers, surpassing the previous mark of 17.
 
Adding to the accolades was Lackey who set a single-season record for goals (40) and points (50) as she broke her own records set last season. She finished today's game with five goals and three ground balls.
 
Collyer added four goals and one assist to up her season totals to 33 goals and nine assists for 42 points. She also picked up one ground ball to tie the single-season mark of 40.
 
Imes finished with two goals today and concluded the best season of her career with 38 goals and three assists for 41 points while McKeegan found the back of the net three times and Teliszewski added a goal and an assist. Amanda Dietrich played every minute between the pipes this year and today she made 10 saves to up her season total to 121.
 
For Eastern, Charlebois led the way with six goals and Brennan followed with four. Bourk also had four points on three goals and one assist. Alina Odjemski earned the win in goal with 10 saves.