Women's Basketball

Delaware Valley College 63, Wilkes University 51

WILKES-BARRE (PA) - Senior guard Moira Donohue scored a game-high 21 points and moved into fifth place on the Delaware Valley all-time scoring list as the Aggies posted a 63-51 victory at Wilkes University in a Freedom Conference game.

With the victory, Delaware Valley improved to 11-10 overall and moved into sole possession of second place in the conference with a 6-3 mark. The Aggies are a half game ahead of FDU-Florham (5-3), who was idle on Saturday and a game ahead of King's (5-4). Arcadia is within striking range of a postseason spot as its 57-56 win over King's improved the Knights to 4-4 in the Freedom. Three contests remain in the conference schedule and the top four teams qualify for the Freedom playoffs.

The Aggies, behind six points from Brooke Dittmar, jumped out to a quick 12-2 lead. They extended the advantage to 12, 23-11, on Brittany Battinieri's layup with 9:07 remaining in the first half. However, the Lady Colonels (1-20, 0-8) scored 14 of the final 19 points in the half, to pull to within 28-25 at the break,

Wilkes closed the gap to one as Khadija Bates hit a layup 25 seconds into the second stanza. Battinieri hit a trey for the Aggies but Bates connected on a jumper in the paint for a 31-29 score with 17:42 remaining.

Delaware Valley took command of the game as four different players scored in a 9-1 run for a 40-30 advantage with 15:10 left on the clock. The Lady Colonels got as close as six, 42-36, three minutes later, but one free throw by Donohue, a pair by Dittmar and a Donohue layup increased the lead to 11 and the Aggies cruised from there.

Donohue's 24-point effort upped her career total to 1,259 points and moved her past both former teammates Rachel Joyce '07 (1,253 points) and Bridget Golden '05 (1,257 points) for the fifth spot. Her three treys moved her past her coach Laura Hogan '90 (174) into second place. With 175 career 3-pointers, Donohue needs just eight more to break 1995 graduate Kate Monahan's record. Donohue also added six steals and five assists in Saturday's victory.

Delaware Valley, which played its third straight game without its second leading scorer and rebounder in Kim Vennera (injury), received 14 points apiece from Battinieri and Dittmar. Dittmar also pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.

Katie Cappelloni was the lone Wilkes player to reach double figures as she finished the afternoon with 12 points and also added seven boards. Brittany Ely poured in nine points while Bates added seven points and nine caroms.