Eckhart, Reidinger Lead Women’s Basketball to Win at Delaware Valley

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – Kailey Eckhart and Brielle Reidinger scored 17 points each to lead the Lebanon Valley Women's Basketball team to a big 69-41 victory at Delaware Valley University on Saturday afternoon inside James Work Gymnasium in Doylestown.
 
The Dutchmen (8-5, 1-1 MAC Freedom) never trailed in the game scoring on the first possession and building a 6-2 lead over the first five minutes. LVC took the lead for good on a Reidinger bucket in the paint after the teams combined for four points over the first three and a half minutes. Cristina Fernandez drove to the basket and was fouled before making two free throws midway through the quarter. The guard then putback an offensive rebound giving LVC an 8-2 advantage. The Aggies cut the lead down to 8-5 with one of two shots at the line and then a layup before Jordan Zimmerman sandwiched an Aggie bucket with a pair of threes. The teams traded layups and Hailie Edwards knocked down a three to put the Dutchmen up 19-9 in the final minute. DVU closed out the quarter with a layup to get the deficit back to single digits.
 
Lebanon Valley held the Aggies scoreless for the first four minutes of the second quarter but were only able to increase the lead to 11 on a Reidinger jumper and made free throw. Del Val cut the lead down to 15-7 on a pair of buckets before Eckhart knocked down a three to push the lead back to double digits. The lead was still 10 in the final two minutes when LVC used a strong finish to the half with seven points. Eckhart scored on a driving layup and then hit another three pointer. She then found Reidinger for a baseline jumper right before the buzzer to put the Dutchmen up 34-17 at the break.
 
Eckhart began the scoring in the third with a putback layup and then knocked down a three from the top of the key. The defense kept the Aggies off the scoreboard for the first six minutes of the quarter as the offense slowly increased the advantage thanks to Eckhart and Reidinger. Reindinger scored on a layup and then Eckhart had back-to-back driving layups to push the advantage to 28 points midway through the quarter. DVU scored its first points of the quarter on a layup with just under four minutes to go in the quarter. LVC responded right back with Reidinger going to work in the paint with a pair of layups. After a steal by Zimmerman, Edwards knocked down a jumper to give the Dutchmen a 51-19 lead with two minutes to go. The Aggies scored twice in the final minute of the quarter to cut the advantage to 28 points going into the fourth.
 
The Aggies scored first to begin the final quarter on a steal and bucket. Reidinger found Fernandez driving to the rim for an easy layup before DVU used four made free throws to get the lead down to 53-29 with seven minutes left. The teams traded scores, and the Dutchmen lead was 22 when Fernandez hit a three at the top of the key. Abbie Reed knocked down a three and then Zimmerman scored on a layup to get the advantage back up to 28 points with three minutes remaining. Reidinger hit two free throws, and Rachel Witkoski scored a bucket to close out the scoring for the Dutchmen.
 
Inside the Box

• Reidinger recorded her fifth double-double of the year as she tied her season-high of 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. The junior was 7-13 from the floor and pulled down four offensive rebounds. She also dished out a season-high five assists.
• Eckhart hit three three-pointers and finished with 17 points. She also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists.
• Fernandez had a huge game doing everything as the senior had 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals. Her three blocks gave her 100 blocks in her career.
• Zimmerman also scored in double figures with 10 points. The guard had three steals, three rebounds, and dished out three assists.
• Edwards scored five points on 2-3 shooting including one made three.
• The Dutchmen shot 43.1 percent from the field while holding DVU to 26.7 percent. This is the fifth time this year LVC has held an opponent under 30 percent from the field.
• LVC held a slim 43-41 rebounding advantage and blocked a season-high nine shots.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will be back on the road this Wednesday for another conference battle at Misericordia University. Tip-off at the Anderson Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Dallas.