DOYLESTOWN (Pa.)--- The Delaware Valley women's basketball team stormed out to an early 17-0 lead and never looked back in a 70-31 win over Wilkes in the final game of the regular season. With the win, the Aggies clinched the number four seed in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom tournament and will host Arcadia on Monday, February 20th at a time yet to be determined.
The home playoff game for the Aggies is the first for the program since 1993.
Haley Keenan started off the game for the Aggies (12-13, 8-8) with a layup as she scored six of the first nine points of the game to help DelVal get out to a 9-0 lead in three and a half minutes. Aubrey Ennis added on to the run with a layup, followed by a three pointer from Jenna Schiessl to extend the lead to 14-0. Ennis would then add a free throw and Alexis Wright hit two from the charity stripe to cap off the 17-0 run over the first six minutes of the game. Wilkes (8-17, 7-9) would score five straight, but the Aggies closed the quarter off strong to take a 23-7 lead into the second.
Baskets by Wright and Keenan grew the Aggies' lead to 20 just a minute into the second quarter. After Wilkes cut it back to 17, Wright and Maisie Neuber answered for DelVal to put the hosts up 31-10. Five straight points from the Colonels closed the gap back to 15, but the Aggies hit three straight free throws followed by a Tori Backrath triple and a Neuber layup to lead 39-19 at the half.
In the first half, the Aggies held Wilkes to 21% shooting while knocking down 44% of their shots.
DelVal did not let off the gas in the third, as they scored the first five points to go up 44-19. After a free throw by Wilkes, Wright and Keenan made buckets to cap off the 9-1 run for the Aggies to lead 48-20 with 5:29 left in the third. Leading by 27 with 2:24 left in the quarter, Jenna Schiessl hit a pair of free throws and Taylor Richardson scored the final three points of the quarter to lead 57-25 after three.
The Aggies continued their stellar play in the fourth, outscoring the Colonels 13-6 while holding Wilkes to 3-of-16 shooting.
Haley Keenan led all scorers with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting to go with five rebounds and three assists. Jenna Schiessl scored 11 points and knocked down all six of her free throw attempts. Alexis Wright finished with ten points and nine rebounds while Maisie Neuber pulled down 11 boards and Taylor Richardson grabbed ten. Aubrey Ennis finished with seven points and dished out a career-high nine assists for the Aggies.
The Aggies split the regular season series with Arcadia as they defeated the Knights on the road 48-43 and lost to Arcadia at home 61-52. The winner of Monday's game will head to DeSales on Wednesday, February 20th for a semifinal contest.
