ST. DAVIDS (PA) – Delaware Valley University seniors Eireann Anastasi and Kelsey Kilpatrick combined for 35 points, but the rest of the young squad managed just 23 in a 68-58, Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom loss at Eastern University.
The Eagles improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play while the Aggies fell to 1-6 and 0-2.
Anastasi had 15 points to go along with five assists and four steals before fouling out. In the process, she moved into a tie for ninth place on the DelVal all-time scoring list as her total of 1,304 points matches 2012 graduate Brittany Battinieri.
Kilpatrick sank six treys and finished with 20 points. She upped her career total of made 3-pointers to 117, just one shy of tying 2002 graduate Kristen Henry for 10th place.
However, the Aggies, as a team, shot 28.5 percent from the field, including 19.4 percent in the first half. Meanwhile, Eastern shot 48.4 percent in those opening two quarters, led by as many as 18, and took a 37-21 lead into the intermission.
Still down double digits five minutes into the third quarter, DelVal responded with a 9-2 spurt over the next three minutes to make it a 46-39 ballgame. Anastasi had seven of the nine points including a 3-pointer to cap the run.
The Aggies were still trailing by seven going into the fourth quarter when they opened with eight of the first 12 points, including a trey from Kilpatrick, to make it a one-possession game at 54-51 with 6:13 remaining. The teams traded two points apiece before an Amanda Riff bomb with 5:10 to go ignited a 7-0 Eagle run and Del Val never got closer than six points the rest of the way.
Reggie Robinson (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Emily Lavin (13 points, 12 rebounds) each had a double-double for Eastern while Taylor Price contributed 21 points.
Sam Foy had eight points and five rebounds before fouling out for the Aggies. Dahlia Wilson came off the bench to add five points and a team-high eight boards.
DelVal returns to action on Monday, December 7 when it travel to non-conference foe Cabrini College.