PURCHASE (NY) – Delaware Valley College saw its three-game winning streak come to an end as the Aggies dropped a 76-65 decision at Manhattanville to begin the final week of regular-season play in the Freedom Conference.
Delaware Valley entered the night having already secured a Freedom Conference tournament berth and was looking to improve its seeding as it was in a three-way tie for second place. Instead, the loss dropped the Aggies into a tie with Eastern University for third (DeSales University is now alone in second with a 9-4 conference mark) as they fell to 15-9 overall and 8-5 in league action.
Delaware Valley hosts undefeated and fifth-ranked FDU-Florham in the regular-season finale on Saturday, February 22. The Aggies need to upset the Devils to get the number three seed (and travel to either DeSales or Eastern – those two teams meet on Saturday) and avoid having to make a trip to FDU-Florham for the Freedom semifinals on Wednesday, February 26.
Delaware Valley trailed 16-11 before it scored six straight on baskets by Eireann Anastasi, Agatha Drozd and Brenna Coll to take a one-point lead with 11:22 left in the half. However, the advantage was short-lived as the Valiants (10-14, 5-8 Freedom) went on a 7-0 run. They eventually built a seven-point lead before Anastasi hit a 3-pointer in the final 90 seconds to pull the Aggies to within four, 30-26, at the break. Anastasi and Coll had nine points apiece in the half to pace Delaware Valley, which struggled from 3-point land as it hit just two of 14 shots.
Manhattanville built its largest lead at nine, 37-28, in the early moments of the second half. The Aggies, behind five points from Shannon Barlow and two from Drozd, made it a two-point game. The Valiants countered with five straight before an Anastasi trey made it a 42-38 game.
Later in the half, Anastasi hit another bomb and Drozd hit a fast break layup to pull Delaware Valley to within three, 52-49, with 6:33 to go. However, the Valiants had a response yet again as eight of the game's next 10 point went their way for a 60-51 lead. The Aggies never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Both teams connected on five 3-pointers, but Manhattanville took just nine attempts while Delaware Valley hoisted 29 shots from beyond the arc. Bri Papon led the Valiants with 19 points and five assists while Alyson Caiazzo notched 16 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks. Ashley Franklin had 13 points and eight rebounds in the win.
The five Delaware Valley starters combined for all of the team's 65 points with each reaching double figures. Anastasi led the way with 22 points while Drozd had 12 points, five assists and four steals. Brittany Wood had 11 points and 10 boards while Coll added 10 points, 10 rebounds and five steals. Barlow finished with 10 points.