Box Score DOYLESTOWN (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University women's basketball team battled Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom foe Misericordia University at home on Saturday afternoon and dropped a 66-55 decision.
Midway through the first quarter, Kaela Stankiewicz got inside for a layup after a Cougars turnover to pull the Aggies to within three, 8-5. Misericordia outscored DelVal, 10-4, the remainder of the stanza and took a nine-point lead into the second.
Sophomore Haley Keenan had a game-high five rebounds in the first quarter.
Senior Lauren Moretti pulled up for two to open the second quarter, but the Cougars responded with the next six points to open up a 24-11 lead.
The Aggies closed the half strong and outscored Misericordia, 9-5, over the final four minutes to cut the deficit to 33-27 at the half. Moretti played a key role in the second quarter run as she scored nine points in the stanza and had a game-high 12 points at the half.
DelVal had a 21-15 edge in rebounds at the break, but trailed in the turnover margin, 13-5.
After Melina Santacroce got a second chance point to open the third quarter, Keenan took over for the Aggies and led a 6-2 run where she scored all six points to pull her team within four, 37-33, with 7:13 left in the third. Keenan scored 11 in the third, but was matched by the Cougar duo of Santacroce and Alyssa Bondi who combined to score 21 points in the quarter. Misericordia took a 55-44 lead into the fourth.
Keenan and Stankiewicz hit back-to-back layups, thanks in part to a steal by Lysette Eloi, to get the deficit back to single digits, 57-49, with under seven minutes left in the game. The Cougars quickly got their lead back to double figures and never looked back as it came away with a 66-55 victory.
Keenan scored 16 points in 19 minutes in the second half and finished with a team-high 22 to go with nine rebounds and two steals. Moretti notched a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds with three assists and no turnovers. Stankiewicz scored 10 points and had four rebounds and three assists. DelVal grabbed 43 rebounds and committed 21 turnovers.
Bondi scored 17 points in the second half to lead the Cougars with 26 points in the game including four treys. Santacroce reached a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds to go with four steals. Misericordia hauled in 45 rebounds and turned the ball over 13 times.
The Aggies will look to get back to their winning ways with a home contest against MAC Freedom rival FDU-Florham at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 26.
