DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley University women's basketball team ended its Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom opener with a 7-2 run, en route to a 47-43 victory over visiting King's College.
The Aggies improved to 5-7 overall and 1-0 in the conference while the Lady Monarchs dropped to 1-9 on the season and 0-1.
King's took a 41-40 lead as Rebecca Prociak hit inside with 2:22 remaining. However, the rest of the game belonged to the Aggies. After a miss on the offensive end, Ashley Smink came up with a steal and the freshman then sank a 3-pointer with 1:27 to go to give DelVal the lead for good at 43-41.
Neither team scored for the next 70 seconds, before it was Smink again as she came up with a steal and a layup. Shae Grim hit a pair of free throws for the Lady Monarchs with nine ticks to go and they fouled Smink two seconds later. She hit both free throws to seal the win.
Kings's opened the game with a 10-0 run with Alexis Steeber scoring six of the points. The Aggies got the next five points on a Morgan Mitchell layup and a Sam Foy 3-pointer to cut the deficit in half. However, the Lady Monarch's closed out the quarter with a 7-3 run for a 17-8 advantage after one.
DelVal used a 10-1 run over the final six minutes of the half to tie the game at 23-23 at the break. Danielle Skedziewleski led the charge with six points on three baskets and Smink and Sarah Wills added two points each.
The Aggies added to their run, scoring 12 of the first 16 points of the third quarter to open up an eight-point lead with 3:36 remaining in the third. King's then charged back with eight straight points to tie the game after three quarters and set up the late fourth quarter dramatics.
Skedzielewski led DelVal with 14 points to go with five rebounds and three blocks. Smink added 12 points and six steals. Morgan Mitchell came off the bench to contribute eight points, eight rebounds and three steals.
The Lady Monarchs were led by Prociak's double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds. She also added four steals and three blocked shots while Steeber had eight points and six boards.
DelVal will host DeSales University for a MAC Freedom game on Saturday, January 7 (1 p.m.).