DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Sophomore Danielle Skedzielewski notched 27 points and 14 rebounds to lead Delaware Valley University to a 74-50 victory over visiting Wilkes University in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom game.
The win lifted the Aggies to 8-11 overall and 4-4 in the league. They are back in a tie with Eastern University for the fourth and final conference tournament spot with six games remaining. The Lady Colonels fell to 4-14 and 0-8 with Saturday's setback.
Skedzielewski missed matching her career scoring high by one (28 versus DeSales University earlier this season) as she hit nine of 15 shots from the field (3-for-4 from 3-point land) and was 6-for-8 from the foul line. Thirteen of her 14 boards came on the defensive end and she also added three steals in 37 minutes of action.
Skedzielewski scored all 13 of DelVal's points in the first quarter, but Wilkes held a 15-13 advantage after those 10 minutes. Other players quickly got into the scoring column in the second as the Aggies opened the quarter with a 14-0 run. Amber Grohowski had the first four while Sarah Wills followed with a layup. Skedzielewski hit from downtown and it was followed by a layup from Morgan Mitchell and a 3-pointer from Ashley Smink for a 27-15 lead. The advantage ballooned to as many as 16 before DelVal eventually took a 34-23 lead into the break as it outscored Wilkes, 21-8, in the quarter.
The Lady Colonels made it an eight-point ballgame, 40-32, after Sierra Smith drained a 3-pointer with 4:44 remaining in the third quarter. However, the Aggies responded with a 12-4 run and a 16-point lead heading into the fourth. Wilkes never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way as it finished the contest shooting just 25.4 percent from the field (17-for-67). DelVal hit 48.2 percent (27-for-56) of its shots and held a 52-36 advantage on the boards.
In addition to Skedzielewski, Wills finished with 11 points while Mitchell came off the bench to notch nine points and a career-high eight assists. Grohowski's play off the bench resulted in seven points and a career-best nine rebounds while Sam Foy and Monika Smallwood scored six points apiece. Smink finished with five points and four assists and Nicole Smythe added three points and five rebounds off the bench.
Ashley Caster led the Lady Colonels with nine points while Smith and Missy Oertner had seven points apiece.
DelVal will return to action on Wednesday, February 1 (6 p.m.) when it travels to MAC Freedom foe King's College.