ANNVILLE, Pa. – Brielle Reidinger knocked down a free throw with 6.1 seconds remaining to give the Lebanon Valley women's basketball team a thrilling 54-53 victory over Delaware Valley University on Hot Dog Frank Day at Sorrentino Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon in Annville.
 
The Dutchmen (13-4, 4-2 MAC Freedom) led for all but two minutes in the game and held off a late run by the Aggies (7-10, 2-4 MAC Freedom) to keep pace in a tight race in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom standings. Kailey Eckhart drove down the middle of the lane on the first play of the game to give LVC the early lead. The Aggies were able to even things up before back-to-back layups from Riley Hevelow and Reidinger made it 6-2. LVC didn't score over the next two minutes, and DVU had a layup and three-pointer to take its first lead of the game.
 
Hevelow found Eckhart open near the right corner for a three-pointer. Reidinger made the front end of two shots at the line, and Alexa Holcomb hit Hevelow for a quick jumper on the left side of the lane to push the lead to 12-7 with just under four minutes left in the quarter. It took nearly two minutes for the next points to be scored as Holcomb drove past a defender to the hoop. The Aggies scored five points over the final 90 seconds of the quarter to cut the deficit to two at 14-12.
 
The Aggies continued the run into the second quarter, making a three-pointer on their first offensive possession to go up by one. However, that would be DVU's only points in the quarter until the final two minutes. Eckhart found Reidinger open under the rim before Reidinger came up with a steal and hit Abbie Reed for a right-wing three-pointer to give the Dutchmen some breathing room with a 19-15 advantage. The Dutchmen recorded steals on the next two defensive possessions but were unable to turn them into points.
 
Reidinger stole the ball again and hit Hevelow in transition for a mid-range jumper in the paint before the senior forward drove for a nice reverse layup. The Aggies broke their scoreless stretch with a traditional three-point play, and LVC answered right back as Hevelow drove to the hoop for a layup. DVU got within three before LVC raced down the court in the closing seconds of the half, and Hevelow found Reidinger open for a baseline jumper to make it 27-22 at the half.
 
Delaware Valley came out of the locker room strong with a pair of layups to get within one. Holcomb scored LVC's first points of the half as she knocked down a jumper near the baseline on the right side of the court. DVU responded with a pair of free throws and then a jumper with just over five minutes to go in the quarter that gave them a 30-29 lead. LVC came right down the court, and Reidinger drove for a layup. The senior then came up with a big block at the other end.
 
Hevelow gave the Dutchmen a 35-32 advantage with a pull-up jumper just outside the paint and then a pair of free throws. Eckhart pulled up near the top of the key for a bucket, and then Adrianna Stricek knocked down a shot from just inside the left on the left side in transition to push the advantage to seven. Hevelow hit a pull-up jumper on the right side before DVU ended LVC's 8-0 run with a bucket to cut the lead to 41-34 after three quarters of play.
 
The fourth quarter was a battle for the Dutchmen as the Aggies kept the game close. DVU scored the first bucket a minute into the quarter. Reed drove the lane for a layup before a traditional three-point play and a transition layup for the Aggies made it a one-possession game at 43-41. LVC called a timeout, and Holcomb knocked down a corner three-pointer out of the break off a feed from Reidinger. Neither team scored again for two minutes until the Aggies made a layup. Hevelow answered with a three-point play, making her layup while being fouled and then converting her shot at the line.
 
Delaware Valley responded with a pair of quick buckets that cut the deficit to two with four minutes left. LVC held the Aggies scoreless over the next two minutes but was only able to increase the lead by two on made free throws by Reidinger and Eckhart. The Aggies cut the deficit back down to two with a layup before Reed found Megan Albrecht in the paint for a layup with 1:10 left. The Aggies scored twice over the next 40 seconds to even the game at 23 with 23 seconds left. They got the ball back with a steal and had a chance to win the game, calling a timeout with 11 seconds left. Reidinger came up big for the Dutchmen as she stole the ball and was fouled with 6.1 seconds on the clock. She missed the first attempt at the line but calmly sank her second shot. DVU rushed the ball up court, but once again the LVC defense held strong as they forced a jump ball situation with 0.4 seconds left and then didn't allow a shot attempt on the inbound pass.
 
Inside the Box

• Hevelow was the team's leading scorer with 17 points, including nine in the second half. The guard also dished out four assists and grabbed six rebounds.
• Reidinger was a rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. She also dished out three assists, recorded four steals, and blocked four shots.
• Eckhart had eight points and five rebounds, while Holcomb added seven points and six rebounds.
• The Dutchmen scored 24 points in the paint and had 15 points off 13 DVU turnovers.
• LVC shot 38.6 percent from the field and had a slim 38-37 rebounding advantage.

Up Next
The Dutchmen wrap up the first round of conference games with Stevens Institute of Technology on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Tipoff against the Ducks is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Sorrentino Gymnasium in Annville.

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