LYCOMING WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FOLLOWS AMY KILE PAST DELAWARE VALLEY, 61-56

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Junior Amy Kile (Muncy, PA/Muncy) led the Lycoming College women’s basketball team with 21 points over Delaware Valley College, 61-56, in Freedom Conference action on Saturday, February 5, at Lamade Gymnasium. The victory snapped a four-game Warrior losing streak.

With the win Lycoming improves to 6-12 (2-7 Freedom League) while Delaware Valley falls to 8-10 overall and 1-8 in league play.

The Warriors used a balanced offensive attack that began with Kile shooting 10-for-17 from the field and hitting one three pointer for 21 total points. She also tied for the team lead in rebounds, pulling down nine total boards as did Jessica Snyder (New Columbia, PA/Milton), who also went two for two from the free throw line. Lycoming received an outstanding boost from the bench as four non-starters combined for over half of the Warriors total with 31 points. Rebecca Pugh (Pine Grove, PA/Pine Grove) led the charge with 13 total points to be the team’s second leading scorer shooting 4-for-9 from the field and adding two long distance buckets and three free throws.

“Defensive intensity was key in this one,” said head coach Christen Ditzler. “We set the tone right in the first half even though we were down we still kept up the intensity and that led us into the second half. We maintained our consistency and we took high percentage shots. We also took advantage of their turnovers and we made a lot of our shots in the paint and that was a huge boost for us.”

The game began when Delaware Valley won the tip and scored on their first possession with a quick lay-up by Shannon O’Neill with the assist going to Bridget Golden. Lycoming took the lead back from the Aggies at 17:02 when Kile hit a jumper to make the score 4-3. Delaware Valley answered right back seconds later with a lay-up by Rachel Joyce giving the Aggies the lead once again at 5-4. They held the lead until Lycoming went on a 10-1 run beginning at 10:33 led by Kile who had six points, two steals, and one assist in the push giving the lead back to the Warriors 26-20. The Aggies came within three points of tying the game before the half with 5:26 left but that is the closest they came as Lycoming entered halftime with a seven point lead, 35-28.

In the second half the Warriors struck early as Kile hit a three-point bucket assisted by Amy Herschman (Northampton, PA/Greater Nanticoke) 11 seconds into the half upping the score to 38-28. The Aggies went on a 6-1 run to cut the Lycoming lead to two at 13:53. The aggressive Delaware Valley defense held the Warriors to just seven point in the first eight minutes and at 11:45 they would tie the game back up as O’Neill hit a pair of free-throws making the score 42-42 off a personal foul from Snyder. Snyder would respond with a pair of free-throws of her own seconds later to give the Warriors the lead and they never looked back. Delaware Valley got no closer than within four points of the lead for the remainder of the contest.

Delaware Valley was led by Bridget Golden who had 14 points and Jackie Hartzell with 12. Golden also led the Aggies in rebound pulling down 12 boards.

Lycoming’s next contest will once again be held at Lamade Gymnasium on February 7 as they host non-conference opponent Keystone College. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 pm.