Women's Basketball

University of Scranton 68, Delaware Valley 58
Aggies Get Fourth And Final Playoff Spot Despite Loss

DOYLESTOWN (PA) -The University of Scranton women's basketball team, ranked third in Division III, posted a 68-58 Freedom Conference victory over host Delaware Valley College, but the Aggies still reached the conference playoffs despite the setback.

The win improved the Lady Royals to 23-2 overall and 12-2 in the Freedom Conference as they clinched first place and home court advantage throughout the conference playoffs.

Meanwhile, Delaware Valley (12-12, 7-7) needed to either upset Scranton or have losses in two other conference games to reach the postseason and the latter occurred. Lycoming fell to DeSales University by a 63-52 score, and Drew was upset by seventh-place Wilkes University, 62-60. Those losses placed Delaware Valley in a tie with Lycoming (Drew finished 6-8 in the conference) and the edge went to the Aggies thanks to a victory over second place DeSales earlier in the year (Lycoming was swept by DeSales).

As a result, the Aggies will compete in the Freedom Conference playoffs for the fourth consecutive year and their fifth berth in the last six seasons. They will have a rematch with the Lady Royals in Scranton on Wednesday, February 25 (game time TBA). DeSales will host King's College in the other semifinal contest with the two winners moving on to the Freedom Conference Championship Game on Saturday, February 28 (site and game time TBA). The winner of the conference earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Scranton led 7-4 in the opening minutes before going on a 15-4 run to make it a 22-8 contest with 7:47 to go in the half. Maura Kane keyed the spurt with six points. Delaware Valley fought back and pulled to within five, 29-24, as Jackie Hartzell hit a 3-pointer with 1:23 remaining. However, consecutive baskets by Kelly Lewandowski, Tara Gemmel and Katie Dougherty gave the Lady Royals a 35-24 advantage at the break.

The opening of the second half saw both teams put together runs. Down 38-27, the Aggies scored seven straight to trail by just four with 15:43 remaining, but Scranton countered with a 10-2 spurt and a 48-36 advantage with 12:25 to go.

The Lady Royals then upped the lead to 14, 61-47, with 4:02 remaining before Delaware Valley made one last run, a 7-0 rally including five by Bridget Golden, to pull to within seven, 61-54, with 2:49 left on the clock. However, Scranton answered with five straight to ice the game.

Golden tied a career high with 27 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds in the loss. Hartzell finished with 16 points while Rachel Joyce added seven points and 11 boards.

Senior Shannon McCormick, playing in the final home game of her collegiate career, notched eight points and six rebounds and became the first player in Delaware Valley women's basketball history to reach the conference playoffs in all four years of her career.

Gemmel had 15 points, 17 rebounds and five assists for the Lady Royals. Dougherty also reached double figures with 11 points while Kate Pierangeli added eight points and seven assists. Kelly Lewandowski contributed nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals off the bench in the victory.