WILKES-BARRE (PA) – Delaware Valley College outscored host Wilkes University, 11-4, over the last five-plus minutes as the Aggies resumed Freedom Conference play with a 59-52 victory.

Delaware Valley improved to 8-5 overall and 2-1 in the conference as league action took place for the first time since December 7. The loss dropped the Lady Colonels to 2-10 overall and 0-3 in the Freedom.

Wilkes had scored four straight points as Haley Mesaros hit a free throw and then followed with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 48-48 with 5:49 remaining. The Aggies came down and missed two shots, but they grabbed the offensive rebound each time. After the second miss, the shot clock was at one when Brittany Wood threw up a long desperation 3-pointer and it banked off the backboard and in.

That basket seemed to re-energize Delaware Valley as Brenna Coll blocked a shot at the defensive end and followed with a short jumper on the offensive front. The Lady Colonels' Ellen Rich responded with a basket, but Wood matched it with a layup and Coll followed with a layup of her own for a 57-50 lead with 3:06 to go. Neither team scored for the next 66 seconds before Eireann Anastasi hit a pull-up jumper for a nine-point lead. Wilkes got its final points with five seconds left, but the Aggies had the road conference win.

Both teams struggled from the field in the first half as they shot under 33 percent. The two were also a combined 3-for-21 from 3-point land in those opening 20 minutes. Delaware Valley, behind 11 points from Anastasi, led by as many as eight in the stanza and it took a 28-23 lead at the break.

The Aggies and the Lady Colonels each had a better showing in the second half as they both shot over 40 percent from the field. Wilkes tied the contest twice, including after the 3-pointer by Mesaros with under six minutes to go, but Delaware Valley had the answer the rest of the way.

Anastasi finished with 20 points, six rebounds and four steals. Coll notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 boards while Wood had 13 points and five rebounds. Agatha Drozd added five points, six rebounds and six assists in the win.

Elena Stambone had a big night for the Lady Colonels as she hit four treys and finished with a game-high 27 points. The next highest scorers were Rich and Chelsea Smelas, who had six points apiece.