On Wednesday, February 22, the women’s basketball team hosted Misericordia University at Canavan Arena for the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom semifinal game. The Ducks defeated the Misericordia Cougars 66-55. This marks the second consecutive season that the Ducks advanced to the MAC Freedom title game and the second season where they faced top-seeded DeSales University.
This impressive win came paired with some strong performances. Graduate student Jess Broad amassed an astonishing 24 points and nine rebounds across both halves of the game. In the first half, she scored eight points and had six rebounds; in the second half, she dominated with 16 points and gained the remaining three rebounds. Her performance in this game allowed her to reach 1,500 career points. In addition, first-year Leyla Castro added an impressive 12 points, six rebounds, and a personal-high seven steals. Additionally, first-year Dorothy Loffredo made two free throws and scored a three-pointer to help ensure the Duck’s lead. The first points of the game were scored by junior Elissa Nsenkyrie from a fast-break layup. The Ducks’ lead was kept by a strong defensive effort that only let Misericordia to just 2- for-17 for shooting.
This semifinal victory led the Ducks to compete in the MAC Freedom title game, where they lost a hard-fought battle against DeSales at a margin of 59-36 on Saturday, February 25, at Billera Hall in Center Valley, PA.
Although the Ducks lost, they still brought some strong offensive moves that DeSales had to counteract. Broad, again, had a strong performance and accumulated 17 points throughout the game. Graduate student Amber Porrett added six points and nine rebounds while sophomore Lucy Alberici also contributed another six points. Additionally, Loffredo added seven rebounds. The first points of the game were won by senior Danielle Cornetta from a fast-break layup after first-year Leyla Castro won the opening tip, however, both teams found it difficult to score early in the game. The Ducks played their best defensively in the third quarter, where they held DeSales to a 15% shooting percentage. Porrett blocked two shots, and Cornetta and Alberici blocked one shot each.
The Ducks had a very successful season, with 22 wins and only five losses, and showed significant improvement and progress at each win and loss throughout the season. Their strong run into the postseason further proves their ability to grow and learn.
Though the team has been disqualified from the MAC Freedom championship, Women’s Basketball earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division III National Championship on Monday, February 27. This will mark the team’s sixth appearance in the tournament and will be their first time back since 2018. The Ducks will play Elizabethtown College on Friday, March 3 at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the championship. Best of luck to the team in this matchup!
