WILKES-BARRE (PA) – Delaware Valley University evened its record in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play thanks to a 67-61 triumph at Wilkes University on Saturday.

DelVal improved to 7-12 overall and, more importantly, 4-4 in the MAC Freedom as it swept the season series with the Lady Colonels (4-15, 0-8). The Aggies are just one game out of the fourth and final conference playoff berth with six games to go.

DelVal led throughout most of the first half, including 18-14 after the opening 10 minutes. The Aggies then build the advantage to as many as seven, 24-17. Wilkes tied the game with a 7-0 run and it was still deadlocked at 26-26 when an Ashley Smink 3-pointer and a pair of free throws by Danielle Skedzielewski helped DelVal end the half with a 5-2 spurt for a three-point lead at the break.

The Aggies were just 2-for-15 from 3-point land in the half (the Lady Colonels were 4-for-9) but built the lead thanks to 14 offensive rebounds that led to 14, second-chance points. Center Amber Grohowski was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field to pace the team with eight points while Skedzielewski had seven points in the stanza.

Wilkes made it a one-point game three minutes into the third quarter before DelVal responded with a 10-2 run – four points by Monika Smallwood and three each by Skedzielewski and Lauren Moretti – for a 44-35 advantage. The Aggies eventually took a six-point lead into the fourth.

Then in the fourth, DelVal scored 12 of the first 17 points, including a pair of treys from Smink, for its largest lead of the game at 59-46. Back came the Lady Colonels and a 15-4 rally over the next five minutes cut the Aggie lead to just two, 63-61, with 46 seconds remaining.

However, just 11 seconds later, Skedzielewski took a feed from Morgan Mitchell and hit inside to make it a two-possession game. Both teams missed opportunities over the next 20 seconds before Grohowski hit a free throw. Skedzielewski then ended the scoring with a free throw with three ticks left for the 67-61 final.

DelVal hit five of 10 3-point shots in the second half, including three by Smink. The sophomore had four in the game and finished with 13 points, five steals and four assists. Skedzielewski led the way with 19 points while Grohowski added 10 points and six rebounds. Smallwood had eight points and eight boards and Mitchell contributed six points and eight rebounds.

Wilkes was paced by Gianna Roberts and her 17 points and 16 rebounds.

The Aggies will look to make it three straight when they host first-place King's College for a MAC Freedom game on Wednesday, January 31 (6 p.m.).