BOSTON -- The University of Delaware women’s basketball squad enjoyed its second trip to Boston a little better this time around.

The Blue Hens, who suffered one of their two losses this season back on Nov. 27 when they dropped a 61-59 non-league decision at Boston University, returned to Beantown with much more on the line this time and powered past league newcomer Northeastern for a 78-56 Colonial Athletic Association victory Sunday afternoon at Solomon Court.

Sophomore guard Melissa Czorniewy (at right) continued her red-hot play as she established a career-high in scoring for the second straight game, dropping in 17 of her game-high 28 points in the first half as the Blue Hens (12-2, 4-1 CAA) were never seriously threatened in posting their third straight win and ninth in the last 10 games.

The Huskies, a former foe of Delaware in the America East conference but a first-year member of the CAA, dropped their sixth straight game and remained winless in conference play, falling to 4-10 overall and 0-5 in CAA action. Ashlee Feldman came off the bench to lead the Huskies with 15 points. Shaleyse Smallwood added 11 points and five assists while Quiana Copeland added eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

“We played very good team basketball today,” said Delaware head coach Tina Martin. “And at times today are defense was outstanding. We are looking forward to returning home to face Drexel next Friday.”

Czorniewy, a sophomore guard from Bergenfield, NJ (Holy Angels HS), was coming off a 26-point performance in Delaware’s 67-56 win at Towson Friday night and is now averaging 19.5 points per game over the last five outings. She has scored in double figures seven times in the last eight games. Her 17 points helped Delaware get off to a 40-22 lead at halftime and never look back. She hit on 10 of 18 shots from the field, hit on all three of her three-point attempts, converted 5 of 6 free throws, and also added five rebounds. She is the first Delaware player to score 25 or more points in consecutive games since Allison Trapp accomplished the feat early in the 2002-03 season.

Fellow guard Tyresa Smith put in another all-around effort as she added 17 points, pulled six rebounds, dished out four assists, and recorded five steals while Amanda Blackstone chipped in with a season-high 10 points and six rebounds. Delaware held a commanding 40-29 edge on the boards, shot 47.3 percent from the field for the game (26 of 55), and limited the Huskies to just 38.9 field goal shooting (21 of 54) for the contest.

The Hens, who have now defeated Northeastern six straight times dating back to the 1998-99 season, have won 24 of their last 27 CAA regular season games, going 13-1 on the road during that stretch.

Delaware left little doubt about this one early as the Hens jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first five minutes of play, led by five points from Smith and four from Czorniewy, and never looked back. The Huskies missed their first five shots from the field and turned the ball over four times before getting on the board with a Smallwood jumper with 15:09 left in the first half.

Northeastern never got closer than six the rest of the half and the Hens extended the halftime lead to 40-22 as Czorniewy hit two three-pointers in the final 2:27 and Alena Koshansky drained a three right before the halftime horn.

Delaware stayed up by at least 18 points the entire second half, extending the lead to as much as 31 points at 64-33 on a jumper by Karleena Tobin with 8:54 remaining.

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