Women's Basketball

Widener University 73, Delaware Valley 68

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - The Delaware Valley College women's basketball team had its home opener spoiled as Chelsea Luhta's 22 points lifted Widener University to a 73-68 victory over the Aggies in a non-conference game.

The game marked the return to Doylestown for former Delaware Valley All-American Alisa DiBonaventua, who is in her second year as head of Widener. DiBonaventura starred on the Aggie court from 1999 to 2001 and then served as assistant coach for Laura Hogan for the next two years.

After a back and forth affair for most of the first half, the Pioneers (2-1) took the lead for good with a 7-0 run for a 33-28 lead with 33 seconds remaining. Delaware Valley (2-1) scored the last basket to make it a three-point ballgame at the break.

Widener opened the second stanza with a 12-2 run for a 45-33 advantage with 16 minutes remaining. Luhta had six points in that span.

The Aggies still trailed by 10 with 3:08 remaining, but they went on a 6-0 spurt to for a 67-63 ballgame with 2:06 remaining. The two teams then traded baskets before a Rachel Joyce free throw pulled Delaware Valley to within three, 69-66 with 67 seconds to go.

However, the Pioneers put the game away with four straight free throws down the stretch. Luhta was 3-for-4 during that time.

Golden finished with 20 points to pace the Aggies and the performance upped her career total to 978. Joyce finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Jackie Hartzell added nine points in the loss.

In addition to Luhta, Nicole Standley (15), Dominique Kidd (13) and Celeste Baumgardner (12) also reached double figures in scoring. Kidd and Baumgardner also combined for 21 rebounds.