DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Sam Foy, Danielle Skedzielewski and Ashley Smink combined for 54 points to lead Delaware Valley University to a 67-60, Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom victory over visiting Manhattanville College.
The win improved the Aggies to 7-9 overall and 3-2 in MAC Freedom games while the Valiants dropped to 6-9 and 2-3.
DelVal found itself up 7-0 early in the first after Skedzielewski found Foy open beyond the arc and she connected for three. Smink then scored the Aggies' next seven points, including three foul shots after being hit while shooting a trey, to stretch the lead to eight, 14-6, with 2:19 to play in the quarter. DelVal maintained the advantage and took a 16-8 lead into the second.
Manhattanville went on a 12-2 run to start the second quarter and tooke its first lead of the contest at 20-18 with 1:47 to play in the half. Kayleigh McGuire and Ivy Coles combined for nine points during that spurt. The Aggies responded by scoring five of the final six points of the quarter to take a 23-21 lead at the break.
In the second half, DelVal quickly regained its eight-point advantage with a 6-0 run to start the quarter. Sarah Wills opened with a layup off a feed from Amber Grohowski, Foy hit a pair of free throws, and Monika Smallwood capped off the run with an offensive board and putback. Then with 3:42 left on the third quarter clock, Skedzielewski executed a dribble hand-off to Smink, who hit a deep 3-pointer to give the Aggies their largest lead of the game at 40-29. They eventually took a 48-40 lead into the final stanza.
Both teams shot well to start the fourth quarter as DelVal hit five of its first seven from the field and Manhattanville connected on its first five shots and a pair of free throw, to cut the score to 59-54 with 5:32 remaining in regulation. The Valiants got as close as three points after Nancy Caballero and Brittany Deieso each converted a pair of free throws to make it 63-60 with just over a minute to play. However, the Aggies were able to make their free throws down the stretch for the 67-60 MAC Freedom victory.
Smink led DelVal with 21 points, Skedzielewski notched 17 and Foy finished with 16. Skedzielewski also notched seven rebounds, three blocks, three assists and a pair of steals. Smallwood led all players with a career-high11 boards to go with three points and Wills added five points and six rebounds.
Manhattanville was led by McGuire's 13 points and seven rebounds. Coles pitched in with 11 points and five rebounds and Joiada Darnell grabbed five steals and dished out three assists.
The Aggies will be back in action on Saturday, January 20 (1 p.m.) when they travel to FDU-Florham for a MAC Freedom match-up.