WILKES-BARRE (Pa.) – Junior Emily Kutskel led all players with a career-high 29 points and nine rebounds as she carried the Delaware Valley University women's basketball team to its second straight win over Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom foe Wilkes University, 57-47, on Friday night.
The win improved the Aggies to 2-4 overall and, more importantly, 2-2 in MAC Freedom play while the Colonels dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-4 in league games.
Kutskel had the first nine points for DelVal including all of the team's five first quarter points as it went into the second trailing Wilkes, 8-5. The Aggies went 2-for-13 from the field in the first stanza, but the defense forced the Colonels into four turnovers.
DelVal came alive in the second as it made 7-of-11 field goals, 8-of-8 free throws, and 1-of-2 three-pointers on its way to outshooting the home team, 23-15, in the stanza to take a five-point, 28-23, lead at halftime. Kutskel led the way with 14 points in the second quarter on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
The Aggies maintained a six-point advantage late in the third quarter, but two baskets in the final 20 seconds of the third pulled the Colonels within two, 39-37, going into the fourth. Maddie Kelley hit the first shot before Julia Marino forced a turnover and got an easy layup for the next.
Wilkes pulled to within one on two occasions in the fourth including at 45-44 with 5:41 left in regulation. The Aggies held Wilkes scoreless for the next 4:08 of play and Lauren Moretti and Kutskel each scored three points in the span to put the team up five, 51-46, with just 1:33 remaining. DelVal closed the game by going 6-for-6 from the free throw line to earn the sweep of the Colonels with a 57-47 triumph.
Following Kutskel's 29-point performance was Moretti's nine points and Glenn's seven points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Rookie Taylor Richardson contributed eight boards and two steals for the Aggies.
Wilks was led by Kelley's 13 points and Julia Marino had a team-best five rebounds to go with eight points.
