DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Sophomore center Emily Soper scored a career-high 33 points as Delaware Valley College jumped out to a 23-4 lead and cruised to an 86-66, non-conference victory over visiting Penn State Brandywine.
The win improved the Aggies to 3-2 overall and they will now prepare for two, Freedom Conference games that will take place over the next five days. They will host FDU-Florham in the league opener on Wednesday night, December 1 before travelling to defending champion DeSales University on Saturday afternoon, December 4.
Soper, the 2009-10 Freedom Rookie of the Year, tied four others for the 11th-highest, single-game scoring total in program history. She hit 12 of 19 shots from field and was 9-for-10 from the free throw line in just 24 minutes of action. Soper also added nine rebounds and four blocks in the contest.
Soper connected for 10 of Delaware Valley's first 16 points and 12 of 23 as the Aggies raced out to a 19-point advantage over the Nittany Lions (0-3) just 7:27 into the contest. They extended the lead to as many as 23 in the opening half and took a 45-30 advantage into the intermission.
The second half saw Delaware Valley go ahead by as many as 24 and all 11 healthy players on the roster notched at least four minutes of action. Freshman Sarah Innerst (13 points, 13 rebounds) and junior Jackie Shunkwiler (10 points, 12 rebounds) each finished with double-doubles while rookie Melissa Weil added 11 points off the bench. Senior Brittany Battinieri contributed nine points, six rebounds and five assists.
Penn State Brandywine was led by Ambler Chandler as she went 10-for-10 from the foul line and finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. Sarah deBerardinis and Shari Harper added nine points apiece in the loss.