DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The tandem of Eireann Anastasi and Brenna Coll combined for 43 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and nine steals as host Delaware Valley College knocked off previously unbeaten Marywood University, 78-64, in a non-conference game.
It was the third consecutive win for the Aggies as they improved to 5-3 on the season. Their next two games will take place in Orlando, Florida as they participate in the Land of Magic Tournament on December 28 and December 29 against University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Trinity College (CT).
Marywood had won its first seven games of the season, including a pair of big second-half comebacks. It opened Thursday's contest with a 13-10 advantage as Nora Joyce racked up all of the points thanks to a trio of 3-pointers and a pair of jumpers.
The Pacers increased the lead to five, 20-15, when Delaware Valley took command with an 18-3 run that gave the squad a 33-23 advantage with 4:16 left in the opening 20 minutes. Coll scored eight points in the spurt while Bridget Sobon came off the bench to pour in four points.
Marywood scored the three points but a 3-pointer from Brittany Wood and a jumper by Coll upped the Aggie lead to 14. The Pacers' Carly Leitzel had a layup with 22 seconds to go, but Kelsey Kilpatrick ended the strong half for Delaware Valley by draining a trey with three ticks left for a 43-28 advantage. The Aggies shot 52.8 percent from the field in the stanza with Coll hitting eight of 10 shots for 16 points and Wood going 4-for-7 for 11 points.
It marked the second straight game that Marywood trailed a Freedom Conference team by double digits as it was down 16 on Tuesday night before rallying for a 10-point win over Misericordia University. And the Pacers need six-plus minutes to trim the Delaware Valley lead to six as they opened the half with a 14-5 run to make it a 48-42 contest. Morgann Haduck hit a pair of bombs to key the spurt.
However, Delaware Valley responded by scoring 10 of the game's next 12 points - six by Anastasi and four from Kilpatrick - to put the lead back to 14, 58-44. Marywood got the next two baskets before a 12-5 spurt by the Aggies gave them their biggest lead at 17 and the Pacers never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Delaware Valley finished the contest 30-for-58 from the field (51.7%) while Marywood was just 25-for-69 (36.2%). Anastasi had 15 points in the second half as she ended the evening with 23 points, eight steals, six rebounds and four assists. Coll finished with 20 points and eight boards while Wood had 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Kilpatrick added 10 points in the win.
Joyce had 16 points to pace Marywood, but just three after the opening seven minutes. Brittany Mang had 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals while Haduck finished with 10 points, seven assists and four rebounds.