Women's Basketball

DeSales University 70, Delaware Valley College 59

CENTER VALLEY (PA) - DeSales University outscored Delaware Valley College, 38-17, in the second half as the host Bulldogs erased a 10-point halftime deficit and posted a 70-59 victory in the Freedom Conference opener for both squads.

Delaware Valley (4-8) scored 10 of the game's first 12 points and built a 10-point lead on two occasions in the opening 10 minutes of the contest. DeSales (11-2) pulled to within two, 24-22, but the Aggies responded with five straight thanks to a Kim Vennera layup and a Brittany Battinieri 3-pointer to up the advantage to seven.

The Bulldogs made it a five-point game late in the half but three more points by Vennera and a Jen McCarthy layup closed the half with a 42-32 Delaware Valley advantage. Vennera had a first half to remember as she notched 17 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists while Battinieri added 11 points as the Aggies hit 17 of 31 shots from the field.

However, it was a different story in the second stanza as Delaware Valley connected on just five of 29 shots from the perimeter, including a 1-for-13 effort from 3-point land. DeSales scored seven straight points after the intermission and eventually tied the game at 47-47.

It was tied again at 49-49 before a Rochelle Teesdale jumper regained the lead for the Aggies with 9:48 remaining. However the Bulldogs went on a 12-0 run, including six by Kaila Wiand, to take the lead for at 61-51 with 4:09 to go. Delaware Valley never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Wiand and Leigh Ann Burke paced DeSales with 13 points apiece. Caitlin Miller added 12 points while Kim Rarick finished with 11.

Vennera, a sophomore, ended the night with a career-high 24 points while also adding eight rebounds, five steals and three assists. Battinieri notched 14 points while Moira Donohue recorded eight points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals.