ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- Eastern University Women's Basketball rallied from 17-4 deficit to earn an 81-65 win over the visiting Manhattanville College Valiants. With the win, the Eagles (14-4, 6-2 Freedom) assured back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1980. Shante Jones made all ten of her free throw attempts on the way to a game high 20 points.
Jones, who is still recovering from illness, did not start, and the Valiants took advantage with hot early shooting. Taylor Wilson put the guests up 13 with a 3-pointer from the wing just over six minutes into the game.
The Eagles started their comeback with a pair of Megan Nowak free throw and a put-back basket from Ellen Dvorak. Dvorak, who was in the game for a foul-plagued Bekah Roland, made the most of her opportunity with four points and three rebounds in critical first-half minutes.
Jones cut the deficit with a steal and transition hoop. The senior guard then picked up one of her six assists with a neat pass to Dvorak. Courtney Turner scored for the Valiant, but Jones answered with a lay-in and a pair of free throws.
After Eastern cut the deficit to 19-18 on a Kaleigh Boreman hoop, the Valiants again stretched the lead to six with four minutes to play. The Eagles, however, answered with a 10-2 run -- capped by a Katie Lincoln 3-pointer -- to take a 31-29 lead into the break.
Jones and Megan Nowak each had eight to lead the Eagles at intermission. Courtney Turner had eight for the Valiants.
Wilson scored five points in the first 75 seconds of the second half to give Manhattanville its only lead of the second half. Roland answered with 3-pointer from the top of the key to put the Eagles up 36-34. Eastern briefly pushed the lead to four on a barrage of baskets including triples from Nowak and Boreman, but the Valiants made one more push to tie the game at 44-44 on two straight hoops from Turner.
Manhattanville kept the game within three until the seven minute mark when the Eagles began to pull away. Lincoln started the 13-2 run with a 3-pointer, and Jones had another steal and hoop. Roland, who scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the second half on the way to her 25th career double-double, made a pair of free throws. Kaitlyn Dougherty scored a pair of baskets around a pair of Jones free throws to put the game away.
Jones' effort from the foul line shows continued improvement for the senior All-American. After scuffling to 62 percent in her junior campaign, Jones is now over 75 percent for this season. She added six rebounds, six assists, and six steals to her game-high 20 points. Roland's big second half helped the Eagles to pull away. She finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds on only six shots.
Nowak, who was fouled by six different Valiants on the afternoon, fought her way to 19 points. Lincoln added 10 points, seven boards, and six assists.
Kelly Hyjek led the Valiants with 17 points, and Wilson added 16. Turner finished in double-figures with 12.
The Eagles sit in a tie for second in the Freedom Conference. They return to action with a non-league test against Cabrini College Monday night before a show-down with 1st place King's on Wednesday.
Doors will open at 5:00 pm for the game against Cabrini.
