Women's Basketball

Delaware Valley College 76, DeSales University 67
Aggies One Win Away From Conference Playoff Berth


CENTER VALLEY (PA) - Shannon O'Neill scored 25 points to help lead Delaware Valley College to a 76-67 upset victory at DeSales University and one step closer to another Freedom Conference playoff berth.

The win improved Delaware Valley to 11-12 overall but, more importantly, 7-6 and tied with Drew University for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Freedom. The Aggies hold the tiebreaker thanks to a series sweep of Drew so they control their own destiny heading into Saturday's regular-season finale against Lycoming College.

A victory over the Lady Warriors (7-17, 2-11) would clinch a postseason berth for the second straight year and the sixth time in the last seven seasons. Delaware Valley can also reach the playoffs if Drew loses on the road at Wilkes University (6-18, 2-11) on Saturday afternoon.

The Aggies made the above scenario possible by winning at DeSales for the first time since 2001 and snapping an overall losing streak of seven games against the Bulldogs, including a 72-56 setback in Doylestown earlier this season. The loss dropped DeSales out of a second-place tie with King's as it is now 16-8 overall and 8-5 in the Freedom.

The two teams went back and forth in a first half that saw neither team hold more than a six-point lead. The Bulldogs took their last lead of the half on a pair of free throws by Kirby Lutz for a 30-29 score with 2:39 remaining.

Kim Vennera tied the game with one free throw just 37 seconds later and O'Neill took over from there. The junior guard hit a 3-pointer with 1:11 to go and then followed with another trey with 39 seconds remaining to give Delaware Valley a 36-30 halftime advantage.

DeSales cut the Aggie lead down to two, 40-38, on a LeighAnn Burke bomb with 16:21 remaining, but Delaware Valley responded with a 13-4 run - five by Rachel Joyce - over the next three minutes for a 53-42 advantage.

The Aggies upped their lead to 12, 56-44, with 7:44 to go, before the Bulldogs cut it in half with a 6-0 spurt. However, Delaware Valley put the game away with a pair of Moira Donohue free throws, a Kim Vennera layup and an O'Neill 3-pointer for a 7-0 run and a 73-60 advantage with 3:18 left on the clock.

O'Neill hit 9 of 16 shots from the field, including a 6-for-10 showing from beyond the arc. She also dished out five assists in 39 minutes of action. Joyce had 15 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 effort from the foul line. Brooke Dittmar and Vennera each just missed double-doubles as Dittmar finished with 13 points and nine rebounds while Vennera contributed 12 points and nine boards.

Kirby Lutz notched game-highs of 27 points and 17 rebounds, including 15 points and 13 boards in the first half alone, to pace DeSales. Burke also hit double figures with 16 points.