CENTER VALLEY (Pa.) -- The Delaware Valley University women's basketball team traveled to top-seed DeSales University for the 2021 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Championship game, and trailed by five at the half, but a big second half from the home team led to a 66-34 defeat.
The Aggies reached the championship game as the number two-seed after a 4-2 record in conference play while the Bulldogs finished the regular season a perfect 8-0 en-route to its third-straight conference championship title.
Halfway through the first stanza, DeSales led by six, 10-4. DelVal won the final five minutes of the quarter by outscoring the home team by two to go into the second trailing by just four, 15-11. Emily Kutskel and Haley Keenan shouldered the load offensively as they combined for all the team's points.
The Bulldogs grew their lead to double-digits with 5:20 left in the second when Averi Jordan took a pass inside to make it, 21-11.
Down the other end, Keenan drilled a trey that sparked a 12-7 run from the Aggies to close the half and make it a five-point game, 28-23. The five-point margin was the slimmest for DeSales in any contest this season as it had defeated opponents by an average of 39.5 points per game this year.
The second half was all Bulldogs as they started the third with a 14-1 run and outscored the visitors, 23-8, to take a 51-31 lead into the final ten minutes. They continued the pressure in the fourth and held DelVal without a bucket for the first seven-plus minutes as the lead grew to 66-31 with under three minutes on the clock.
The Aggies forced three turnovers down the stretch and held DeSales off the board for the final four minutes, but the offense could not get going as the home team ran away with the 66-34 victory and its third-straight MAC Freedom Championship crown.
Kennan led DelVal with 12 points and seven rebounds with two 3-pointers made. Kutskel followed with nine points and three rebounds with two blocked shots    and Shayne Glenn added five points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Senior Lauren Moretti was held to five boards and four points, but dished out three assists and the rookie Taylor Richardson grabbed seven rebounds.
Jordan was named the game's MVP as she scored a game-high 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field including 3-for-4 from deep, with six rebounds and three assists. Mikaela Reese followed with 17 points, nine rebounds, three blocked shots, and three steals and Rylie Rittenhouse had 12 points, nine rebounds and five steals.
