WILKES-BARRE (PA) – Sam Lynam scored 23 points and reached the 1,000-point milestone in her career as Wilkes University earned a 69-60 victory over visiting Delaware Valley College in a Freedom Conference game.
The Aggies (9-14, 3-9 Freedom) started out strong as they scored the first eight points of the game and 12 of 14 for an early 10-point advantage. Sophomore center Emily Soper scored all eight of the opening points and added two more in the spurt after Sarah Delcasale drained a jumper.
Delaware Valley still held an eight-point lead later in the half when the Lady Colonels (6-17, 2-10) scored eight straight to tie it up. The teams then traded leads over the final seven minutes of the half before Wilkes took a 34-32 advantage into the intermission.
The Aggies regained the lead early in the second half as a Melissa Weil layup made it 36-35 with 17:59 remaining. However, the Lady Colonels went ahead for good as they sprinted out to a 10-2 run for a 45-3 advantage with 12:22 left on the clock.
Delaware Valley pulled to within three with 9:26 to go, but Lynam hit a basket while being fouled just 16 seconds later. She hit the ensuing free throw and became just the ninth player in school history to reach the coveted 1,000-point plateau.
The Aggies made it a one-point possession two other times down the stretch, the last coming when Sarah Innerst hit one of two free throws for a 63-60 ballgame with 2:32 remaining. However, Lynam hit a pair of foul shots on Wilkes' next possession and added two more after a Delaware Valley miss to seal the game.
Lynam shot just 8-for-28 from the field, but was 6-for-8 from the foul line including the clutch attempts down the stretch. She also added 11 rebounds. Whitney Connolly finished with 14 points and 11 boards while Megan Kazmerski came off the bench to notch 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Soper was 10-for-15 from the field and recorded 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots before fouling out in the final minute. Soper's four blocks upped her season total to 73 and broke the school's previous record of 71 shared by Bridget Golden (2004-05) and Sarah Tuffner (2001-02).
Weil finished with 14 points while Innerst had five points and 11 boards. Senior Brittany Battinieri added 13 points, but was just 4-for-21 from the field including a 2-for-11 showing from 3-point land. She did move to within 11 points of the 1,000-point milestone with two games remaining. Her next crack at it will be home on Tuesday, February 15 against Manhattanville College for Senior Night.