ST.DAVIDS, Pa.- Eastern University Women's Basketball held the visiting Wilkes University Colonels to only 17 first half points and made enough big shots in the second half to claim a 57-42 win. The victory moves the Eagles (8-10, 4-3) into a tie for third in the Freedom Conference at the midway point of the league season. Meghan Nowak led the way with 18, and Kelsie Patton scored 16.

Eastern ran out to a 19-7 lead with eleven minutes to play in the first half. Wilkes reached double figures when Megan Kazmerski made all three free throws after being fouled on a long-range attempt. The Eagles answered with a 6-0 run on three straight assisted baskets to claim their biggest lead of the period at 25-10. Nowak scored the first on a pass from Reilly Gavitt. Patton hit the second on a kick-out from Gavitt, and Kaitlyn Dougherty scored off a dish from Nowak on a back door cut with 7:41 to play.

Eastern then went five and a half minutes without a basket. The Colonels, however, could only pull within eight as the Eastern defense continued to contest shots and force turnovers. Nowak scored two straight inside hoops and Kaleigh Boreman ended the period with a lay-up on a Dougherty pass to give Eastern a 31-14 lead at half.

Eastern shot only 38.9 percent in the opening period, but the Eagle defense forced 13 turnovers and held the Colonels to only six field goals in the first twenty minutes. Nowak was efficient at the offensive end of the floor with a 5-of 10 shooting effort for 11 points. 

Wilkes pushed the pace of the game throughout the the opening period and subbed liberally to try to wear down the Eastern seven-player rotation. The strategy seemed to be taking effect as the Eagles managed only a single field goal and two points over the first eight minutes of the second half. Wilkes cut the lead to six on a pair of Jana Martin field goals before Nowak hit a pair of free throws to end the drought.

Lindsey Chester scored on a put-back to close the gap to 35-29 with 11 minutes to play before Nowak connected on her second 3-pointer of the evening. Eastern pushed the lead to 11 at the seven minute mark, but Nowak picked up her fourth foul and went to the bench. Elena Stambone, the leading scorer in the Freedom Conference, hit back-to-back 3-pointers bring Wilkes back into the game.

The Eagles responded with a 12-0 run over the next four minutes to make the game safe. Patton scored eight points with a pair of 3-pointers in the run.

While Nowak and Patton carried much of the scoring load for the game, much credit for the win goes to DiDomenico and Dougherty. The two sophomores worked to hold Stambone to nine points and 3-of-16 shooting. Stambone entered play tonight averaging over 20 points per game. Dougherty, Eastern's second-leading scorer, finished with only four points, but she corralled a career-best 10 rebounds, had five steals, and registered four assists.   

Chelsea Brown led Wilkes with 13 points and nine rebounds.

The Eagles return to action on Saturday at Manhattanville College. Eastern earned a 62-59 home win over the Valiants in November.

Box Score 

Photo Gallery